CHANDIGARH: The scheme of waiving off surcharge on power bills for the consumers of the urban areas would benefit about 2.69 lakh consumers including those whose power connection has been disconnected.

It was stated  by Haryana Chief Minister,. Bhupinder Singh Hooda, after inaugurating a 132 KV sub station constructed at a cost of Rs 10 crore at Rohtak on Saturday. This substaton would cater to the need of about  26 thousand consumers of six sectors of the city besides sixteen adjoining villages.

While enumerating the details of the ambitious scheme,  Hooda said that the scheme would be applicable only on those consumers who were defaulting as on March 31, 2007 and were continue as such. He said that 100 percent surcharge amount would be waived off on the depositing of outstanding principal amount in lump-sum or in six equal monthly installments provided that there would be no discontinuity in payment of any further current bills.

The Chief Minister made it clear that the consumers whose case were pending in the court would not be covered under the scheme. While referring the disconnected connection of the consumer, he said that power connection would be restored only after liquidation of principal amount. Moreover, he should not be defaulter in the payment of any further current bills. The scheme would remain continue from September 1 to November 30, 2007.

The Chief Minister further stated that by the end of 11th Plan, the generation available to the State would be around 10,500 MW. The demand forecasting had been conducted by 17th Electric Power Survey Committee which was constituted by Central Electricity Authority with the concurrence of Ministry of Power, Government of India.

As per the survey, the peak demand in the State at the end of 11th Plan was expected to be 6839 MW. After generation, the transmission and distribution of electricity was also equally important. In view of this, the State Government had a specific concern to boost the transmission and distribution infrastructure. It  would spend Rs.7500 crore to strengthen the transmission system in the State during the 11th Plan period.
 
Hooda assured that the Government would make all possible efforts to supply adequate power to all categories of consumers. It has planned to supply electricity for about 18 hours daily to the domestic consumers of rural areas for which the domestic and tubewell load on rural feeders was being segregated under the Rajiv Gandhi Grameen Vidyutikaran Yojna in the State. The work would be completed by the end of December this year.