The State government’s ambitious one-time settlement (OTS) scheme for the defaulting power consumers with partial or full waiver on delay payment charges (DPC) will be operational for one month from December 1 onwards.
Addressing a press conference, Power Minister Nilesh Cabral said that the scheme is aimed at giving relief to consumers of the Electricity department so that outstanding power bills upto October 31, 2020 can be paid with full or part-waiver of DPC.
Under the scheme, which was approved by the Cabinet, last month, if the consumer pays the entire principal amount, then he or she will get 100% waiver in delay payment charges. If the consumer wants to pay the principal amount in installments, then the waiver on delay payment will vary from 20% to 80%, based on the total installment, he or she opts for.
The consumers can directly avail the scheme through the department website without visiting the electricity department physically.
The government is aiming at recovering Rs 412 crore, including Rs 320 crore principal amount and Rs 92 crore delay payment charges which is outstanding from various power consumers including domestic, commercial and industrial.
Cabral also warned that he will disconnect the electricity connection of Panaji market if CCP fails to pay their dues by taking advantage of the scheme.
Meanwhile, the domestic consumers can now make application for connections online from November 16. The move is aimed to fasten the process and so also to curb any sort of corruption, Cabral said.