Bills of consumers using more than 150 units per month were deferred during lockdown
Jaipur, August 23: The power ministry has been facing a major challenge in recovering the due amounts accumulated during lockdown. It had allowed deferment of bills during lockdown, the dues to be paid in 2 installments with the current bill after the lockdown lifted. But the consumers have been demanding waiver of bills for 2 months claiming they were not in the position to clear it. The bills of consumers with more than 150 units per month had been deferred during lockdown.
This has now turned into a political issue in the state, with the BJP demanding the power bill for 2 months be waived. In a review meeting of the power department, the chief minister directed the officials to look into public grievances and address them on an immediate basis.
“Since spot billing was distributed from March due to Covid-19 and lockdown, the consumers were not used to the new rate. They are now feeling the pinch with the new rate while their income took a hit due to Covid-19 restrictions”, a senior official stated.
Rajasthan Electricity Regulatory Commission had hiked power tariff for different categories of consumers by up to 11% in February, which would generate an additional annual revenue of nearly 4,800 crore power utilities in the state.
Along with that, the Chief Minister also directed the DISCOMs to shift the power lines passing near residential houses away from them, as the live wires passing close to them were a cause of accidents but despite that, the DISCOMs have been refusing to shift them without the residential welfare associations bearing 50% of the cost, arguing that the people themselves violated norms in many colonies by building houses closer to the lines. The chief Minister had now asked the DISCOMs to bear the full cost of shifting such lines.
