Nod to 600-unit free power in Punjab
Chandigarh, July 6
In a major relief to all households across the state, the Cabinet today gave its final approval to policy of providing 600 units of free power to every household per billing cycle in the state with effect from July 1.
A decision to this effect was taken in a meeting of the Council of Ministers held here under the chairmanship of Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann at the Punjab Civil Secretariat on Wednesday.
Disclosing this here today a spokesman of the Chief Minister’s Office said all domestic consumers in the state would get zero bill if their consumption was up to 600 units in every billing cycle. The decision will give a big relief to the domestic consumers who had been hitherto shelling out a lot of money to pay power bills.
According to the decision, the Scheduled Castes (SC) and non-SC BPL and Backward Class (BC) domestic consumers, who were eligible for 400 free units (per billing cycle) of power, will also get subsidy of 600 units now.
Likewise, freedom fighters of Punjab and their successors (up to grandchildren, who were eligible for 400 free units, will also get subsidy of 600 units per billing cycle.
In case, the consumption of SC, non-SC BPL, BC and freedom fighter categories exceeds the free units per billing cycle then they will pay only for the units consumed in addition to 600 units along with full fixed charges, meter rental and government levies.
Similarly, the Cabinet also gave a green signal for waiving pending arrears of all domestic consumers as on December 31, 2021, and unpaid up to June 30, 2022. This move will give relief to around 28.10 lakh domestic consumers with a total benefit of Rs 1,298 crore.
Freedom fighters also to get benefit
- All domestic consumers to get electricity free if their consumption is up to 600 units in every billing cycle
- Scheduled Caste, non-SC BPL & BC domestic consumers too entitled to 600 free units per billing cycle
- Freedom fighters & their successors, who were eligible for 400 free units, will also get 600 units
