Coronavirus update: Rajasthan govt defers electricity, water bill payment till May-end

A release from the chief minister’s office on Thursday night has said the decision will benefit nearly 1.3 million farmers and about 15 million domestic consumers.

Millions of farmers, domestic consumers and industrial units in Rajasthan can now pay their electricity and water bills for March and April in May, amid the lockdown to prevent the transmission of Covid-19, chief minister Ashok Gehlot has said.

A decision has also been taken to increase loan for kharif crops by 25%, which will be starting from April 16, and that a loan of about ₹8000 crore will be disbursed in during this year. (Biplov Bhuyan/HT PHOTO)

A release from the chief minister’s office on Thursday night has said the decision will benefit nearly 1.3 million farmers and about 15 million domestic consumers.

The government also announced a 5% discount in the next electricity bill for agriculture and domestic category consumers if they pay by May 31, 2020.

For industries, the government has deferred fixed charges on electricity connections in proportion to the lockdown period till May 31, 2020, for March and April bills which will be issued in April and May.

This will provide relief to about 168,000 consumers of small, medium and big industrial units.

Similarly, the fixed charge of electricity bills of about 11,00,000 other home-based connections for March and April—commercial and tourism-related establishments, showrooms, shops, hotels, working hostels, etc—except state and lockdown-free establishments will be deferred till May 31, 2020.

“The government will allocate ₹650 crore to power distribution companies against this relief,” the release said.

The government also said that it will suspend the recovery of the water bill for March and April for all consumers in the state. The consumer can now pay the bills in May.

This decision will postpone revenue collection of about ₹100 crore.

The state government has also said it will pay a premium of ₹700 crore of the Prime Minister Crop Insurance Scheme by May to ensure that farmers get insurance claims without any delay for kharif year 2019.

It has paid ₹2034 crore as premium in the last one year.

A decision has also been taken to increase loan for kharif crops by 25%, which will be starting from April 16, and that a loan of about ₹8000 crore will be disbursed in during this year. About 20,00,000 farmers will get the benefit of the increased amount.

Rajasthan reported 14 news cases of the coronavirus disease on Friday morning, taking the number of Covid-19 patients to 154 in the state till date.

This includes seven Covid-19 patients in Jaipur and two in Bikaner, who went to the Tablighi Jamaat’s Nizamuddin Markaz in Delhi.

So far, 23 Tablighi members have tested positive in the state.

Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat and Maharashtra have also allowed for an extension in the payment of electricity bills generated during the 21-day nationwide lockdown due to the coronavirus pandemic.