This State Govt Will Absorb Consumers' Additional Electricity Bill For Lockdown Months

Amid escalations for sky-high electricity bills by customers during the lockdown months, the state of Maharashtra has decided to absorb bulk of the additional bill for them. The move will benefit close to 1 crore customers. As per the Indian Express report, the government will bear the major portion of "additional" burden in electricity charges during lockdown months as well as respond to consumer grievances concerning higher bill.

In July some of the leading industrialists as well as film fraternity people brought to the notice of the officials from the department of their bills coming higher by either twice or even thrice.

Considering the situation, the state government is considering a proposal as per which eligible households for the lockdown months would need to pay for the units consumed in the corresponding months in the previous year i.e. 2019. And in a case where the billed units for the lockdown months exceed from the previous corresponding consumption by 100 units or less, the entire additional burden owing to increased consumption shall be borne by the state of Maharashtra.

For consumption in excess of 100 units, 50% of the extra cost shall be borne by the government up to 300 units. For consumption over 300 units but below 500 units, the government will bear 25% cost. The move will cost the exchequer Rs. 1000 crore and has been finalized in a meet between Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, also chairing the finance dept. and Energy Minister Nitin Raut, said the newspaper.

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