CHANDIGARH, Apr 26: Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar today announced launch of the Electricity Bill Surcharge Waiver Scheme 2017 to provide consumers another opportunity to clear their outstanding bills.
Under this scheme, consumers whose electricity bills are outstanding and who have not been able to avail the benefit of the earlier surcharge waiver scheme, are being given another opportunity to pay their outstanding dues.
The consumers can pay their outstanding power bill without surcharge, either in lump sum or six equal bi-monthly instalments along with current bills, an official release said here today.
Surcharge Waiver Scheme 2017 has been made applicable with immediate effect and will remain in force till May 31.
The scheme will be applicable to domestic and non-domestic consumers with connected load up to 2 KW in rural areas (connected or disconnected) and domestic consumers with connected load up to 2 KW in urban areas (disconnected only).
In 2016, the state government had come out with the Electricity Bill Surcharge Waiver Scheme to bring the defaulting consumers to the mainstream and the results had been encouraging, the release said.
“However, because of the demonetisation, large number of consumers were not able to join the scheme. It is on the demand of such consumers that the Surcharge Waiver Scheme has been launched again,” it said.
Under the present scheme, on payment of the principal amount either in lump sum or instalments, the surcharge amount of the consumer will be frozen.
After payment of six bills in the first year, 40 percent of the surcharge amount will be waived. With the payment of another six bills in the second year, 30 percent of the surcharge amount will be waived and after payment of the bills in the third year, the remaining surcharge amount will also be waived.
However, if the consumer at any time defaults in payment of three consecutive electricity bills after adoption of the scheme, the remaining surcharge amount will be revived.
Consumers whose connections stand disconnected will be given a new connection after payment of the principal amount in lump sum or, as the case may be, the first instalment.
The scheme will not only reduce the financial loss of the discoms but would also help the consumers clear their names from the list of the defaulters, it added. (PTI)
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