Gave Rs 500-cr Covid relief to consumers: PSPCL

Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, January 7

In 2020, the prime focus of Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL) was to become a support system for its consumers who were facing a tough time due to Covid-19.

Stating this here today, the PSPCL Director, Commercial and HR, Gopal Sharma, said to mitigate the negative impact of coronavirus, relief and benefits of nearly Rs 500 crore were granted to various categories of consumers.

Elaborating on relief measures taken by the PSPCL during the pandemic, he said the due date for the payment of electricity bills of domestic and commercial consumers with amount up to Rs 10,000 and those of all industrial consumers was extended up to June 2020 during lockdown period. Similarly, 1 percent rebate on current energy bill was granted to DS, NRS consumers with billing amount up to Rs 10,000 and to all industrial consumers who deposited the amount in full or part by the original due date upto April 2020.

Subsequently, 1 per cent rebate was also allowed on any amount deposited between April 21 and 30, 2020, against previous arrears in addition to the current energy bills to all DS, NRS and industrial consumers.

Among other steps taken to provide relief to consumers was the deferment of the revision of security consumption of all categories of consumers. The facility of “meter reading on trust” to commercial and SP industrial consumers during the period of the lockdown and facility for payment of bills in installments, he added.

Sharma said despite all odds, the suppliers were encouraged to continue the supply of essential materials to maintain the power distribution system and in genuine cases, revised CDPS were allowed and timely payments were ensured to all MSME suppliers during this ongoing crisis period.

Focusing on the consumer-friendly schemes launched by the PSPCL during the year, he cited “Pani bachao, paise kamao” under Direct Benefit Transfer of Electricity, reduction in charges for shifting of 11 KV HT/LT lines passing over the buildings having insufficient physical clearance, free power supply to agricultural tubewell consumers, concessional electricity to the SC, BPL, BC and freedom fighters categories.

The PSPCL director claimed that major steps were taken towards the conservation of energy with the procurement of 15.74 lakh energy efficient 9 watt LED bulbs for distribution among SC, BC and BPL categories of consumers of the PSPCL under the “Kifaiti LED bulb yojna”. Further, energy-efficient 9 watt LED lamps and 20 watt LED tube lights were installed to replace traditional fluorescent tube-lights in the PSPCL offices as an energy-saving measure.

Bhupinder Khosla, Chief Engineer/Distribution, Central Ludhiana, said employees and officials in the zone would continue to strive to improve working, create consumer-friendly work culture and bring qualitative improvement in the maintenance of distribution system and power supply.

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