BEST to launch 'Amnesty' scheme for defaulters

Mumbai, Aug 4 (UNI) The Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST) undertaking will soon launch an 'Amnesty' scheme for its consumers who have outstanding electricity bills and are willing to settle them.

BEST General Manager Uttam Khobragade told mediapersons here today that under this scheme, all the electricity consumers of BEST who are willing to settle the outstanding bills would be granted amnesty by way of waiver of accrued delayed payment (DP) charges for last five years, commencing from April, 2000.

He said in the forthcoming bill, the outstanding energy charges and delayed payment charges would be shown separately and cent per cent DP charges would be waived-off, if a consumer pays the outstanding energy bill within one-month time from the bill date. In case consumer pays the energy bill within two months, 50 per cent DP charges would be waived-off and if, consumer pays energy bill in three months, 25 per cent DP charges would be waived-off, and thereafter BEST will disconnect the supply.

Apparently, some Government organisations are the maximum defaulters, and for them the scheme would be open for four months from the bill date.

He said about Rs 216 crore arrears are pending, involving 2.78 lakh consumers, from 2000.

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