Punjab CM cuts down service charges for enhancing power load

Mann said that the security for this has also been slashed to half by ₹200 per horsepower against ₹400 horsepower earlier.

Chief minister Bhagwant Mann on Friday announced a new voluntary disclosure scheme (VDS) for consumers having tubewell, commercial and residential power connections.

Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann said Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL) has been directed to launch the scheme for consumers having agriculture, residential and commercial power connections. (File)

Giving details, Mann said Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL) has been directed to launch the scheme for consumers having agriculture, residential and commercial power connections.

He said consumers having agriculture connections who are willing to enhance their load of tubewell connections will have to now pay ₹2,500 per horsepower as service charges against ₹4,750 per horsepower fixed by Punjab State Electricity Regulatory Commission (PSERC). Likewise, the security for enhanced load has also been slashed by 50% to ₹200 per horsepower.

The CM said for residential category connections too, VDS has been launched for enhancing the load and rates have been reduced to half. “For enhancement of load up to 2 kilo watts (KW), rates have been reduced to ₹225 per KW from ₹450. Similarly, the rates have been reduced to ₹500 per KW from ₹1,000 for enhancement of load from 2 KW to 7 KW, ₹750 from ₹1,500 per KW for increasing load from 7 to 50 KW and ₹875 per KVA from existing ₹1,750 for increasing load from 50 to 100 KVA,” he said in a statement.

The rates have also been slashed for VDS for commercial consumers. The chief minister exhorted the agriculture, residential and commercial consumers to take maximum benefit of the scheme and apply for enhancement of the load, if any.