Encouraging response for Govt's Amnesty scheme for power consumers

New Delhi, Jun 4 (UNI) Delhi Power Minister A K Walia today said the initial response to the power amnesty scheme, launched by the Delhi government last month, was encouraging, with around 8,242 customers having applied for meter change, settlement of theft cases and new meter connections.

He said about ten lakh consumers have also benefited from the Government's scheme of subsidised electricity by containing consumption upto 150 units in March. The government has released an amount of Rs 13 crore for the scheme, said Dr Walia, while speaking to mediapersons after chairing a weekly power review meeting.

The status of the ongoing Amnesty Scheme and the scheme of subsidised electricity on restricting consumption upto 150/200 units per month, was discussed at the meeting.

Dr Walia said in all 1529 new meters have been installed after receiving request for change of tampered, suspected or damaged meters and 3276 cases of theft, direct abstraction of energy amounting to Rs 6.80 crore have been settled.

The ongoing Amnesty Scheme has three components, which relate to the settlement of all unsettled power theft cases, new electronic meters instead of monthly fixed connections in JJ colonies and clusters, and the changing of old and tampered meters. The scheme is open to residential and commercial consumers. In case of theft, domestic consumers are being offered a 60 per cent rebate and commercial consumers a 50 per cent rebate on assessed bills. Late payment surcharge has also been waived.

Dr Walia further said that the government has released an amount of Rs 44 crore for street lighting in 829 unauthorised colonies, which would be completed within a few months.

He said the power department was fully prepared to meet the demand of electricity during summer season and exhorted Distcoms to expedite developmental works in their respective areas.

Stating that the department has also intensified its efforts to popularise the Solar Water Heater System, he said restaurants, registered nursing homes and other institutions are being requested to go for it and avail rebate.

A separate scheme to exhort consumers to install CFL is also being chalked out by the Distcoms, he added.

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