Energy department adds ‘opt-out’ option to the Gruha Jyothi form
The Energy Department has made one more addition to the Gruha Jyothi door-to-door verification form. In Part 2, beneficiaries can choose not to provide details
The Energy Department has made one more addition to the Gruha Jyothi door-to-door verification form. In Part 2, beneficiaries can choose not to provide details such as their Aadhaar card, voter ID, ration card, PAN card, caste details, mobile number and profession. However, if consumers refuse to provide these details, their Gruha Jyothi benefits will also be discontinued. An official said, “When meter readers, wearing their ID cards, have been going door to door for verification, consumers have been reluctant to provide important details such as their Aadhaar card, voter ID and other information.
Therefore, this clause has now been added to the form.” In such cases, beneficiaries can sign Part 2, which states: “I do not wish to participate in the survey related to the Gruha Jyothi scheme. I have no objection to the discontinuation of benefits under the Gruha Jyothi scheme for the electricity connection provided to my house.” Earlier, the form had 11 elements and Part 1 — a statement, signed by the beneficiary, saying the details furnished are correct.
The 11 elements, which continue to remain in the form, include the name of the Escom, electricity connection account ID, beneficiary’s Aadhaar number, beneficiary’s name as per the Aadhaar card, registered mobile number, owner/tenant status, ration card category (APL, BPL or no ration card), voter status and EPIC number, caste category (SC/ST, OBC, minorities and others), PAN number (if the beneficiary is an income-tax payer), and profession. On July 3, Bescom had also clarified that furnishing caste details to meter readers during the survey is purely optional.
Until now, the option to “refuse to provide information” was available only for caste-related details on the Seva Sindhu app.
The BriefWire