Domestic power consumers in Punjab expecting zero electricity bill, as announced by Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, were in for a rude shock with PSPCL authorities all of a sudden sending them bills demanding revised advance consumption deposit (ACD). The ACD is equivalent to charges for 45-75 days of average power consumption depending on the billing cycle of a consumer and, those in the know of things,claimed was usually charged from industrial consumers. Sources said that as of now, the ACD is being charged from consumers having load of more than 7 kw.
Consumers rue that Punjab State Power Corporation Limited authorities are not giving proper explanation on the issue. Powercom, however, claims that at the time of release of power connection, a security amount is sought from the consumer and it is equivalent to consumption charges (fixed or variable) as applicable for two and a half months where bi-monthly bills are charged and one-and-a-half months in case of monthly billing. PSPCL authorities claim that this amount had not been revised and is being done now as many consumers have started consuming more power or have got their loads increased over the years.
Dr Rajeev Garg, a radiologist in Ludhiana’s Aggar Nagar was shocked out of his wits when he received the domestic power bill of Rs 18,000 in the first week of July. “The bill showed arrears of Rs 8,000. I was clueless and had to make rounds of PSPCL office to understand why it has been charged. It is not justified. First, this ACD amount is huge and second, why were we not informed in advance”.
Another consumer from same area, Jastinder Singh Dhaliwal, too has got power bill with arrears of Rs 8,000. “I haven’t paid the bill, even though July 14 was the last date. When CM makes announcement of every small thing through his video messages, why couldn’t he intimate the consumers about this shocker. We are not against social welfare schemes but the consumers, who pay bills, cannot be taken for granted,” added Dhaliwal.
On Saturday, Mann again said the promise of 300 units of free power has been implemented from July 1. “I am going to share good news with Punjabis regarding electricity guarantee…the promise of free electricity has come into effect from July 1…the (electricity) bill for July-August will come in the first week of September… “The good news is that around 51 lakh households will get zero electricity bills…what we say, we do it,” Mann said in a tweet in Punjabi.
The state has around 73.40 lakh domestic consumers.
Sudarshan Jain, president of Knitwear and Apparel Manufacturing Association who lives in I Block of Sarabha Nagar said he has been asked to pay arrears of Rs 32,000 while his brother Ashok Jain, who lives in H Block, has got a bill with arrears worth Rs 24,000.
Said Sudarshan Jain: “We have been asked to bring old receipts of the security deposit. Most of us don’t have those receipts. Why can’t they check their own record books? This is sheer harassment. How can they start asking for revised ACD without prior intimation? Who can or will shell out an additional two-and-a-half months’ bill?”.
A senior PSPCL officer, who didn’t wish to be named, said that the revised ACD charges are being realised “as per the orders of Punjab State Electricity Regulatory Commission’s orders”.
The consumers, however, are asking why the amount is being charged as “hidden charges”.
Sudarshan Jain said, “They need to issue a public notice or advertise it the way they way they have been advertising other announcements. This revision has come at a time when free power scheme has been implemented. This additional ACD will be used to compensate the PSPCL for the free power that it will dole out”.
Giving 300 units of free electricity was one of the major poll promises of the Aam Aadmi Party during the Punjab assembly elections. In April, Mann had said if electricity consumption exceeds 600 units in two months, then a consumer will have to pay for the entire power usage.
But scheduled castes, backward castes, below-poverty-line households and freedom fighters will be charged just for over and above 600 units, the chief minister had then clarified.
Punjab has a two-month billing cycle for power supply.
When Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema presented the state budget on June 27, he had said that providing 300 units of free power will put an additional burden of Rs 1,800 crore on the state exchequer. In the state budget, a total power subsidy bill has been proposed at Rs 15,845 crore as against Rs 13,443 crore in 2021-22.
Punjab provides subsided power to various categories and out of which, the subsidy bill on account of free electricity to the farming sector alone is around Rs 7,000 crore.
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