UP government gives more time to defaulting power consumers for paying dues

Uttar Pradesh government has extended the deadline for two schemes till March 31, under which defaulting power consumers, including farmers, have more time to clear their dues. The schemes are Asan Kist Yojana, which was introduced for defaulters for up to 4 kilowatt load, and Kisan Asan Kist Yojana, which is meant to give relief to private tubewell consumers. UP Power Minister Srikant Sharma in his letter to all pradhans (village heads) said that since harvesting season of the rabi crop is approaching, the deadline extension would be helpful for farmers.

Sharma said the power department has collected a large amount through Asan Kist Yojana, which started on November 11, 2019, however, a large number of consumers are still left and, for them, extension of the scheme's deadline from February 29 to March 31 may turn out to be a boon. Through the letter, Sharma said that despite heavy power generation cost (Rs 7.35 per unit), the department is supplying cheaper power to private tubewell consumers, farmers, and below-poverty line consumers, among others, as the deficit is covered by the grant received from the government.

While the current rate for private tubewell consumers on an average is Rs 1.21 a unit; for BPL consumers (for first 100 units), Rs 3 a unit; and for domestic rural metered consumers (for first 100 units), Rs 3.35 a unit, Sharma said. Expressing the government commitment for better power supply, the minister said, "It depends upon proportionality of power spent and revenue received."

The defaulters, availing the facility, will have to pay 5 per cent of the arrears due till October 31, 2019, or Rs 1,500 along with their up-to-date power bills beginning from November 2019, Sharma said. He added that the defaulters may pay their arrear in one go or in 24 or 12 instalments (24 instalments for defaulters of rural area and 12 instalments for urban area). The minister said penalty for arrears up to October 31, 2019, would be waved off if the arrears and future bills are paid in time.

Sharma said that the last date for Kisan Asan Kist Yojana has also been extended till March 31, 2020.

The defaulters, availing the facility, would have to pay 5 per cent of the arrears due up to January 31, 2020, or Rs 1,500 along with their present power bill beginning from November 2019, he said adding that the defaulters might pay their arrears in one go or in six instalments, he added. The minister said that penalty for arrears up to January 31, 2020, would be waved off if the arrears and future bills are paid in time. Sharma has requested pradhans to motivate the defaulters to avail the facility.

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