State plans to bear excess amount in inflated power bills

After the inflated power bills for April, May and June, citizens are likely to get some relief in the coming months as the Maharashtra government is considering

After the inflated power bills for April, May and June, citizens are likely to get some relief in the coming months as the Maharashtra government is considering a waiver in electricity bills. The state is planning to bear the financial burden of the surplus amount for the three months of the lockdown.

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According to the proposal moved by the energy department, the state is mulling over dividing the waiver into three slabs based on power consumption by each household. It will bear the entire excess cost if the usage mentioned in the bill for these months is up to 100 units in excess to the usage of the corresponding period last year. For 101-300 units, it has proposed to waive 75% of the excess and 50% up to 500 units, said a senior official requesting anonymity.

The proposal, which is likely to cost around ₹1,500 crore, is likely to come up for discussion in the next cabinet meeting.

Officials said that giving waiver means the amount is going to be adjusted in the next bill as it is not possible for them to give cash refunds. “The waiver will be implemented in the form of adjustment in the next power bill. The excess amount will be deducted from the current power bill and people will have to pay only the remaining amount,” an official said.

The proposal will be applicable for both private and government power distribution companies.

Consumers across the state have been complaining about inflated power bills for the past few months while power distribution companies have maintained there was no error on their part and that there has been an increase in power usage owing to summer and the lockdown as most people are at home.

Following the hue and cry on the issue, state energy minister Nitin Raut declared to provide relief to the people after holding several meetings. The state has also approached the Maharashtra Electricity Regulatory Commission (MERC) for the same.

According to officials from energy department, they have two options — rebate up to a certain percentage in the existing power bill or reducing charges in the current slabs — that could be implemented to bring down consumers’ power bills from next month.