Haryana budget: Monthly minimum charge for poor power consumers to be eliminated, says Khattar

Haryana chief minister ML Khattar proposed to levy a one-time charge for e-rickshaws instead of an annual charge stating that they provided a low-cost transport alternative to diesel rickshaws specially in the National Capital Region (NCR).

Haryana chief minister ML Khattar who presented the last budget of the BJP-JJP government’s five-year term on Friday announced the elimination of monthly minimum charges (MMC) for poorest of the poor energy consumers.

Haryana chief minister ML Khattar who presented the last budget of the BJP-JJP government’s five-year term on Friday announced the elimination of monthly minimum charges (MMC) for poorest of the poor energy consumers. (HT Photo)

“I propose to eliminate the charge for tariff category-I consumers with domestic connected load of up to 2 kW. This step will provide a relief of about ₹180 crore to the poorest of poor families,” he said. The MMC are imposed on consumers where their consumption is below a limit. In tariff category-I where the monthly consumption is less than 200 units, the monthly minimum charges are ₹115 per kW for up to 2 kW.

The CM proposed to levy a one-time charge for e-rickshaws instead of an annual charge stating that they provided a low-cost transport alternative to diesel rickshaws specially in the National Capital Region (NCR).

He said that two projects - remodelling of Gurugram Water Supply Channel (GWS) and the Mewat Feeder Pipeline Project to solve the drinking water of the Gurugram and Mewat region, have been planned to cater to the future drinking and industrial water demand up to the year 2050 for Nuh, Gurugram, Manesar and Bahadurgarh cities and the industrial areas of IMTs at Manesar, Sohna, Kharkhoda and 36 Bahadurgarh, Dharuhera Industrial Area and adjoining villages by enhancing the existing design capacity of 175 cusecs to 686 cusecs.

The CM also proposed to extend the benefit of CHIRAYU-Ayushman Bharat to those families whose annual income is above ₹3 lakh. Those in the annual income bracket of ₹3-6 lakh can avail the benefit on payment of an annual contribution of ₹4,000 and those in the annual income bracket of above 6 lakh can avail the benefit of CHIRAYU-Ayushman Bharat on payment of an annual contribution of ₹5,000.

He also proposed to establish 500 comprehensive multi-purpose activities cooperative society (CM-PACS) to promote entrepreneurship and rural development. CM-PACS will encompass a wide range of activities, including agriculture lending, crop and food processing, packaging, marketing, storage, and transportation, warehousing, insurance and other rural-based services.