Haryana's Surcharge Waiver Scheme Provides Relief for Power Consumers with Outstanding Dues

Haryana's Energy Minister, Anil Vij, has introduced a new scheme aimed at providing relief to power consumers with outstanding dues. The Surcharge Waiver Scheme-2025 offers various forms of relief to domestic urban and rural, as well as AP agricultural power consumers, concerning their pending electricity bills. This initiative will be active for six months from its start date, according to an official statement.

Domestic and agricultural consumers who choose to pay their dues in full will receive a 10% discount on the principal amount and a complete waiver on the surcharge. Additionally, those opting to clear their dues in eight monthly or four bimonthly installments will also benefit from a 100% surcharge waiver. This scheme aims to encourage timely payments and reduce accumulated dues.

Government and Industrial Consumers

For government buildings, municipal bodies, village panchayats, and state public sector undertakings, a full surcharge waiver is available if they settle their outstanding bills with a lump-sum payment. This measure is expected to facilitate the resolution of numerous pending bills across these sectors.

Industrial and other category consumers are eligible for a 50% surcharge waiver if they pay both the principal amount and half of the surcharge in one go. This provision is designed to incentivise prompt payments and reduce financial burdens on businesses.

Impact on Power Discoms

Anil Vij believes that implementing this scheme will significantly improve recovery rates for power distribution companies (discoms). By encouraging consumers to pay their electricity bills on time, the scheme aims to prevent the accumulation of dues and enhance financial stability for discoms.

The initiative reflects Haryana's commitment to addressing outstanding electricity bill issues while promoting timely payments among consumers. It is anticipated that this approach will lead to the resolution of many pending bills, benefiting both consumers and power discoms alike.

With inputs from PTI