The Uttar Pradesh government has extended the deadline of Asan Kist Yojana by one month till March 31, for providing more time to defaulting power consumers, including farmers, to pay their dues.
UP Power Minister Srikant Sharma said in his letter to all pradhans (village heads) that since harvesting season of the rabi crop is approaching, the deadline would be helpful for farmers.
For heavy collection, Sharma has used an important tool in the form of pradhans of the village by directly interacting with them.
He said the power department has collected a large amount through the Asan Kist Yojana, which started on November 11, 2019, however, a large number of consumers are still left and, for them, extension of the scheme's deadline from February 29 to March 31 may turn out to be a boon.
Through the letter, Sharma said that despite heavy power generation cost (Rs 7.35 per unit), the department is supplying cheaper power to private tubewell consumers, farmers, and below-poverty line consumers, among others, as the deficit is covered by the grant received from the government.
While the current rate for private tubewell consumer on an average is Rs 1.21 a unit; for BPL consumers (for first 100 units), Rs 3 a unit; and for domestic rural metered consumers (for first 100 units), Rs 3.35 a unit, Sharma said.
Expressing commitment of the government for better power supply, the minister said, "It depends upon proportionality of power spent and revenue received."
He said that the Asan Kist Yojana was introduced for up to 4 kilowatt load for domestic defaulters.
The defaulters, availing the facility, will have to pay 5 per cent of the arrears due till October 31, 2019, or Rs 1,500 along with their up-to-date power bills beginning from November 2019, Sharma said. He added that the defaulters may pay their arrear in one go or in 24 or 12 instalments (24 instalments for defaulters of rural area and 12 instalments for urban area).
The minister said penalty for arrears up to October 31, 2019, would be waved off if the arrears and future bills are paid in time.
Sharma said that the last date for the Kisan Aasan Kist Yojana, meant to give relief to private tubewell consumers, has also been extended till March 31, 2020.
The defaulters, availing the facility, would have to pay 5 per cent of the arrears due up to January 31, 2020, or Rs 1,500 along with their present power bill beginning from November 2019, he said adding that the defaulters might pay their arrears in one go or in six instalments, he added.
The minister said that penalty for arrears up to January 31, 2020, would be waved off if the arrears and future bills are paid in time.
Sharma has requested pradhans to motivate the defaulters to enjoy facility that indirectly would boost the revenue.
Disclaimer: No Business Standard Journalist was involved in creation of this content
