Punjab to provide 600 units of free power to every household per billing cycle
Darpan News Desk IANS, 06 Jul, 2022 11:19 AM
Chandigarh, July 6 (IANS) In a major relief to households, the Punjab Cabinet led by Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Wednesday gave approval to provide 600 units of free power to every household per billing cycle in the state with effect from July 1.
A spokesman for the Chief Minister's office said all domestic consumers in the state would be eligible to get zero bills if their consumption is up to 600 units in every billing cycle.
This will give a big reprieve to the domestic consumers who have to hitherto shell out huge money every month in the form of power tariff.
As per the decision, the Scheduled Castes (SC), none SC BPL and backward class domestic consumers, who are currently eligible for free 400 units (per billing cycle), will also get subsidy of 600 units now.
Likewise, freedom fighters of Punjab and their successors, up to grandchildren, and domestic consumers, who are currently eligible for free 400 units, will also get subsidy of 600 units per billing cycle.
In case, the consumption of the SC, non-SC BPL, backward class and freedom fighter categories exceeds units per billing cycle then they will pay only for units consumed in addition to 600 units along with full fixed charges, meter rentals and government levies as applicable.
Similarly, the Cabinet also gave green signal for waiving off 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.
Joining the issue, newly-appointed state Congress chief Amrinder Singh Raja Warring targeted Mann over the Centre's interfering in the state's law and order matters in the context of the Punjab Governor's visits to the border areas.
On examination of their check-in-baggage, 43 gold cut-bits of 24k purity, weighing 2.493 kg and valued at Rs 1.20 crore, were found wrapped around laptop chargers with adhesive tapes.
The incident took place at Kusupur village in the state's Cuttack district. Accused Shiba Prasad Sahoo (42) confessed to the crime through a video message and sent it to his village sarpanch and few others. He later surrendered before Balichandrapur police in Jajpur district.
According to a source, the meeting continued for two hours around and both CMs discussed how to give free 300 units of electricity in Punjab - as promised by the party in its election campaign.
The Left alliance members accused the ABVP of forcefully imposing a ban on non vegetarian food at the Kaveri Hostel in the campus while the ABVP alleged that the members of the Left alliance including the NSUI were not allowing them to conduct a Pooja and Havan programme on the occasion of Ram Navami.
Two people were declared dead and several others injured after two cable cars in a ropeway collided with each other at the Trikut hills close to Baba Baidyanath Temple in Deoghar on Sunday.
