Delhiites to Receive 'Opt-in' Forms for Subsidy with Power Bills from August

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posted on 2 years ago — updated on 1 second ago

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The government has already prepared a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for having online and offline forms for seeking feedback, and it is likely to come up for approval before the Cabinet this month

Starting next month, the Delhi government will send out forms to consumers with their electricity bills that will require them to state whether they want to avail power subsidy or not, according to officials. The government has already prepared a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for having online and offline forms for seeking feedback, and it is likely to come up for approval before the Cabinet this month.

The power department plans to attach forms along with electricity bills that will read “I want to avail the power subsidy” along with a message from Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, an official said. Consumers will have to submit the forms at the zonal offices of their respective discoms if they wish to avail the subsidy. In case of non-submission of the form, it will be assumed that the consumer is willing to forego the subsidy and from October 1, will be charged as per the applicable rates, the official said.

The forms will have to be submitted by the end of September. Since the cost of printing so many forms is high, the forms will only be attached with the bills for two cycles. However, the option of availing the subsidy will remain open for the consumers, the official said.

Kejriwal had announced in May that from October 1, power subsidy would be provided to only those consumers who specifically ask for it. He said there are many people who feel they can pay their power bills without the subsidy and the money thus saved can be spent on developing schools and hospitals in the city.

Domestic consumers who use up to 200 units of electricity in a month get 100 per cent subsidy. Such consumers number around 30.39 lakh. Further, the Kejriwal government provides 50 per cent subsidy (up to Rs 800) to over 16.59 lakh consumers who use 201-400 units per month. As a large number of consumers in Delhi pay their electricity bills online, the usual platforms of discom portals and apps for opting for the subsidy scheme will also be available.

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