Punjab households start getting 300 units of free power, pending arrears till Dec 21 waived

| | Chandigarh
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Punjab households start getting 300 units of free power, pending arrears till Dec 21 waived

Saturday, 02 July 2022 | Monika Malik | Chandigarh

Less than four months after the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) came to power with a thumping majority in Punjab, the party’s government on Friday fulfilled its first guarantee of providing 300 units of power free every month to all Punjabis, starting from today (July 1). However, the Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL) is yet to receive any communication from the State Government regarding the rules under the scheme.

 

“The guarantee of providing free electricity up to 300 units has started from today, that is July 1, 2022...This means that people will get free power as they will have zero amount electricity bills,” said the Chief Minister.

 

Mann, in another landmark decision, also declared that in a major relief to the common man across the State, “all electricity bills, prior to December 31, 2021, will be waived off”.

 

The Chief Minister categorically said that it is a big reprieve for the people of the State who were hitherto shelling out money for paying huge power bills. “From now onwards, all the consumers will get 300 units of power free which will mitigate the woes of a common man,” he added.

 

Mann added that the State Government is committed to fulfil every guarantee promised to the people of state.

 

Training his guns at the Opposition, the Chief Minister said that previous governments made tall promises to people during polls but they were hardly fulfilled in five years. However, he said that the AAP Government has set a new precedent by fulfilling one after another guarantee with every passing day.

 

Mann assured the people that the State Government is committed for progress of the State and prosperity of its people.

 

With the implementation of the decision, as many as 73 lakh families are expected to be benefitted.

 

Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema, while presenting the AAP-government's maiden budget on June 27, had said that providing 300 units of free power would put an additional burden of Rs 1,800 crore on the state exchequer.

 

“AAP government is fulfilling its first guarantee made to the people of Punjab by providing 300 units of domestic power supply per month free to all citizens of Punjab with effect from July 1. This will bring big relief to Punjabis, who are reeling under exorbitant power bills,” Cheema had said.

 

Cheema had also said that the State Government had already planned to finance this scheme by cutting wasteful expenditure and through enhancement of own tax revenue.

 

NO COMMUNICATION FROM GOVT YET: PSPCL

 

PSPCL authorities informed The Pioneer that it is yet to receive any communication regarding the rules and procedure for implementing the ‘300 units per month’ scheme. “We have not received any communication or anything in writing about the scheme,” said a PSPCL official, when asked about the details of the scheme.

 

However, the official maintained that as per the discussions held so far, all the power consumers, across all categories, will get 300 units free per month. The Bill amount would be zero if the limit the consumption less than or up to 300 units, added the official.

 

In Punjab, the electricity bill is generated for two months for those having load up to 10 kW, thus giving all power consumers 600 units of free electricity for two months. Those, with load above 10 kW, get the power bill monthly.

 

“As per the discussions so far, in case the power consumption is more than 600 units, the users have to pay the entire bill amount, except the SC, BPL and other categories who were earlier getting 200 units of power free,” said the official.

 

The official said that all power consumers are king up to 300 units. “It is only about 300 units that other requisites come into play like load or consumer being an income tax payee,” added the official.

 

The scheme is in line with promises made by AAP supremo Arvind Kejriwal, who announced the first guarantee in June 2021 in the run up to assembly polls. With this, Punjab has become the second state after Delhi – also ruled by the AAP – to provide free electricity to the people.

 

KEJRIWAL CONGRATULATES PEOPLE OF PUNJAB

 

Delhi Chief Minister and AAP national convener Arvind Kejriwal on Friday congratulated the people of Punjab on the roll out of a free electricity scheme saying that the party walks the talk. Giving 300 units of free electricity to each household every month was one of the key poll promises of the AAP, and it announced a scheme to that effect after coming to power earlier this year.

 

“Congratulations to the people of Punjab! From today people of Punjab will get 300 units of electricity free of cost. Lakhs of families will now have zero electricity bills every month," Kejriwal tweeted in Hindi with the roll out of the scheme. “We have fulfilled our promise. The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) does what it says. People of Punjab will also get freedom from expensive electricity," Kejriwal added

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