New power connection 9-time costlier
Ramkrishan Upadhyay
Tribune News Service
Chandigarh, July 24
Facing unpaid bills worth crores, the Electricity Department has introduced the Advance Credit Deposit (ACD) scheme for all type of consumers. Under the scheme, getting a new electricity connection has become nine-time costlier.
Residents are now being asked to deposit the ACD charges on the basis of the expected average bills of two months. The expected amount is reached by using a formula fixed by the Joint Electricity Regulatory Commission (JERC).
The new scheme has put additional burden on the consumers, who will have to deposit an amount ranging from Rs 2,000 to Rs 20,000, depending upon the load they apply for.
Earlier, this security was nominal on the basis of the per kW load taken by any consumer. The applicants were asked to pay fixed security charges ranging from Rs 200 to Rs 1,200 per kW per month. Sources in the Electricity Department said the new scheme was launched on the direction of the JERC.
The department will take an advance security of average two-month power bill from every consumer. The consumption will also be reviewed on a yearly basis.
If the consumption is reduced, the department will return the extra amount to the consumers. In case it increases, the consumer will have to pay more. With this decision, the consumers will have to pay security as per the power consumed. A majority of the consumers had taken power connections years ago when the security was nominal. This step is aimed at rationalising the scheme.
The new scheme will help the department reduce cases of defaulters. Consumers are yet to pay an amount of over Rs 20 crore to the Electricity Department.
