Shimla
The state government is taking several strict steps to bring the sinking economy of the electricity board back on track in Himachal. The Chief Minister himself has given up subsidy on five electricity meters. After this, the ministers of the Sukhu government have announced to give up the electricity subsidy. At the same time, the state government has abolished the subsidy given in the tariff on electricity consumption to gazetted officers from January 1. Apart from this, the facility of 125 units of free electricity has also been withdrawn from these employees.
In such a situation, electricity bills without subsidy will be issued to these employees from the month of February. However, the electricity board has not yet been able to collect complete data on how many such consumers are there, who will be issued bills without subsidy next month. Data has been sought from government departments regarding this, but information is yet to come from many departments.
In such a situation, according to the data available with the electricity board. Electricity bills are to be issued to consumers without subsidy in the month of February. This includes more than a thousand consumers, who have voluntarily given up the subsidy on electricity bills after the appeal of Chief Minister Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu. At the same time, the state government will now give 125 units of free electricity to the consumers on a single meter. For this, the process of e-KYC is going on these days.
These days e-KYC of electricity meters is going on in Himachal, for which the government has given an ultimatum till February 15. As soon as the work of e-KYC is completed in the state, the electricity board will get the data of consumers, which will easily find out how many electricity meters are installed in the name of which consumer. In such a situation, except Group-A and Group-B of the state government, other consumers will be given 125 units of free electricity on a single meter. Apart from this, electricity bills will be issued on other meters installed in the name of the building owner.
At the same time, consumers who do not do e-KYC by February 15 may also have to lose the 125 units of free electricity available on one meter. Board sources told ETV Bharat that as soon as the work of e-KYC is completed, 125 units of free electricity will be given to the economically weaker sections on a single meter.
Like non-gazetted officers in Himachal Pradesh, now the electricity subsidy of military and paramilitary officers serving in the state has also been stopped. In such a situation, the army officers serving in many other parts of the state including Shimla will also not get subsidy on electricity meters installed in government residences. They will also be issued a bill without subsidy from the month of February.
Group-A and Group-B employees/pensioners (formerly category-1 and category-II employees) of the state government will not get subsidies on electricity. Similarly, Group-A and Group-B employees/pensioners of Central Government Boards, Corporations, Universities of State/Central Government Undertakings, and Public Sector Undertakings of State/Central Government working/residing in the state will also not get subsidy. Similarly, these orders will also be applicable to the same category of employees/pensioners of military and paramilitary forces working/residing in Himachal. Bills without subsidy will be issued to all these categories.
