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Haryana govt withdraws circular that hiked power theft penalty on farmers
The chief minister said the circular was issued on the recommendation of the Haryana Electricity Regulatory Commission (HERC) and that he had taken a strong exception to issuance of the circular as the formula applied to fix the penalty was illogical
Haryana chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar on Sunday announced to withdraw a circular issued by the Uttar Haryana Bijli Vitran Nigam (UHBVN) to impose penalty on the cultivators caught stealing electricity for agriculture purposes.
Addressing a press conference, the chief minister said the circular was issued on the recommendation of the Haryana Electricity Regulatory Commission (HERC) and that he had taken a strong exception to issuance of the circular as the formula applied to fix the penalty was illogical.
Khattar said the state government is not bound to follow such orders of the HERC as the state government bears the burden of free power to farm sector. He said the circular in question directed to impose huge fines (up to ₹6 lakh) on farmers accused to power theft.
“As soon the state government came across this circular, it was decided that in the interest of the farmers, we will not allow this circular to be implemented,” said Khattar, calling upon the farmers to not indulge in power thefts.
He said the state government has given 61,500 new tubewell connections, besides 50,000 solar pump connections under a policy.
The chief minister said ‘Antyodaya Urja Suraksha Yojana’ will be launched soon. Under this, families with less than ₹1 lakh annual income and whose electricity connections have been disconnected will be given electricity connections by waiving off the arrears.
He said either 50% of the principal amount of the outstanding electricity bills of such Antyodaya families or the average electricity bill of maximum one year (whichever is less), will be taken from them. For example, if the average annual electricity bill of a family is ₹8,000 or ₹10,000 and their total outstanding amount is ₹6,000 rupees; then out of ₹6,000, only ₹3,000 will be taken from such families in instalments.
Next Jan Samvad programme in Mahendragarh
The chief minister said the next Jan Samvad programme will be organised in Mahendragarh district from May 24 to 26. “People are openly discussing the benefits of the government schemes, transparency in jobs and other policies during the programme,” he said, adding that the Jan Samvad programmes had been held in about 50 villages, in which about 32,555 people have participated. Besides, 5,900 complaints have been received which are being registered on the Jan Samvad portal. He said the ministers and MPs will also hold Jan Samvad programmes in their respective areas from July.
Ambala bypoll uncertainty
Khattar said there were instances when bypoll was not held in the event of a seat falling vacant a year or a little more than a year before the end of the five-year term of the Lok Sabha or the state Assembly.
The Ambala Lok Sabha seat (SC reserved) has fallen vacant following the demise of BJP MP Rattan Lal Kataria on June 18. His demise has thrown open Ambala Lok Sabha seat for a by poll and the current five-year term of the Lok Sabha concludes in May 2024.
Asked if the BJP was in favour of the bypoll in the Ambala Lok Sabha seat in view of just a year left for the general elections to be held, Khattar said it was a technical issue largely on which the Centre has to take the final decision.
“However, appropriate decision will be taken after deliberations. There are many examples when bypoll was not held when one year or 16 months were left for the term (of Assembly/Lok Sabha) to end,” he said responding to a question.