Haryana raises rebate on power bill to 20 pc

The Haryana government today said it has raised rebate on payment of electricity bills to 20 per cent for consumers who opt for 'pillar box' scheme.
"An incentive of 20 per cent rebate in bi-monthly bills for a period of one year shall be given to consumers of a village who adopt the pillar box scheme," said MD of Haryana power distribution companies-- Uttar Haryana Bijli Vitran Nigam and Dakshin Haryana Bijli Vitran Nigam.
Earlier, the incentive was only 10 per cent.
"Now in addition to this, the rural domestic consumers who have paid their bills regularly for the last one year, rebate at a rate of 10 per cent will be given one time to them for that particular period on the amount of last 6 bi-monthly bills.

"Therefore a regularly paying consumer will get a total benefit of 30 per cent. At a tariff of Rs 6 per unit, the rebate will be Rs 1.80 per unit," he said.
However, Agarwal said the erection of the Pillar Box System of power distribution is entirely voluntary.

"The system will be created only in those villages and urban localities where residents come forward to opt for the system by giving consent through Panchayats, etc," he said.
He said the 'Pillar Box System' of electricity distribution is the best solution to give reliable, safe and qualitative power supply in urban and rural areas.

The villages which get erected pillar box system would be given the benefit of ensured power supply for 24 hours for domestic use.
He further stated that the government offered this system to villagers and urban residents to minimise interruptions in power supply, improve voltage, eliminate the problem of overloading of the system, minimise supply related complaints of consumers and minimise possibility of accidents.
The discoms (distribution companies) have already completed the pillar box system works in 81 villages and people are enjoying this benefit.
Under the pillar box system, complete overhauling/ renovation of the distribution system will be undertaken.

It is estimated that about Rs 25 lakh will be spent in the village/urban locality to strengthen the system under which, naked conductor shall be replaced with insulated cables and meters will be relocated in pillar boxes outside the houses.