As the one-time settlement scheme for power defaulters is drawing to an end, the response in the two-month long offer does not seem to be as eye-catching as was expected by the Delhi government. Against the total disputed cost of around Rs. 450 crore stated by the government, the settled amount, so far, has been just Rs. 58.98 crore. But, the power department is now planning to pump up its advertisement campaign to attract more people to availing the scheme in its final week.
The BSES Yamuna (BYPL) and Rajdhani (BRPL) discoms which cover 65 per cent of Delhi’s power consumers received a total of 26,741 complaints of which 22,410 cases were resolved. The amount the total cases received for the two discoms accounted for Rs. 86 crore out of which only Rs. 31 crore has been settled so far. Similarly, Tata Power Delhi Distribution (TPDDL) which supplies power to North Delhi areas has settled 13,721 cases under the amnesty scheme launched by the Delhi Government on August 30.
The biggest beneficiaries of the scheme which aims to settle cases of theft of power, tampering with meters or having illegal connections are residents of JJ clusters who account for 10,658 cases out of which 13,721 cases have been settled so far, said officials of Tata Power. Cases of direct theft, meter tempering, misuse / unauthorized use of electricity and disconnected consumers settled so far stands at 612, 540, 74 and 1, 837 respectively.
While the scheme lasts till October 31, the discoms and the government have maintained that the response has been good. “The fact that 36,131 cases have been settled so far is an achievement in itself as had it not been this scheme, these consumers wouldn’t have got the benefits of smaller penalty or waived off surcharges,” said a government official. At the time of the launch, the scheme promised to benefit 1.4 lakh consumers.
The discoms added that the number of cases was set to increase manifold in the last days. “We are hoping the numbers will rise further as it is the final week of the scheme, until the government decides to extend it for the second consecutive time,” said a discom official.
