Govt not to collect power bills from industrial unit in advance

Chandigarh, Dec 29 (UNI) The Punjab Government has decided not to collect by monthly electricity bills from the existing industrial unit in advance.

Chief Minister's Media Advisor Harcharan Singh Bains said that the government's decision comes in the wake of its policy to provide relief to the industrial sector. He also referred to a clarification given by Punjab State Electricity Board (PSEB) through a newspaper advertisement to this effect.

He said that the state government had assured the representatives of the industry that according to provision in Regulation 16.1 of the Electricity Supply Code and Related matter Regulation-2007 the first review of security (consumption) would be undertaken for the existing consumer by the PSEB with in 12 months after the issue of Tariff Order for the year 2008-09 for which Annual Revenue Requirement (ARR) and tariff application was yet to be filed by the Board.

However Mr Bains said that there was a feedback that the industrial consumer had apprehension that security (consumption) on this account was to be revised immediately from 1st January 2008 which was absolutely 'incorrect and baseless'.

UNI