No monthly minimum charges for domestic power consumers: Haryana CM

Chandigarh: Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini on Monday said the monthly minimum charges for domestic power consumers have been abolished and electricity bill will now be based on the number of units consumed. An official statement quoting the chief minister said from now on, people of the state will receive bills based solely on the number of units of electricity consumed. "From now on, residents of the state will receive bills based solely on the number of units of electricity consumed, providing much-needed relief to electricity consumers," the statement said.

Saini was addressing an event in Ambala, while launching the additional subsidy scheme in Haryana under the "Pradhan Mantri Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana". Under the scheme, Saini said a subsidy of Rs 60,000 will be provided by the central government, for setting up a rooftop solar plant for poor families having an annual income of less than Rs 1,80,000. Additionally, a subsidy of Rs 50,000 will be provided by the state government. Although the cost of installing a rooftop solar plant is Rs 1,10,000, the consumer will not have to spend anything from their pocket, he said. Saini also announced the establishment of an additional 800 megawatt ultra super critical thermal power unit at the Rajiv Gandhi Thermal Power Plant in Khedar, Hisar, at a cost of Rs 7,250 crore.

Similarly, families with an annual income between Rs 1,80,000 and Rs 3 lakh will receive a subsidy of Rs 60,000 from the central government and Rs 20,000 from the state government. The Chief Minister said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi resolved to start this scheme on January 22, from Ayodhya and it is now being implemented in Haryana. Taking a dig at the opposition, the Chief Minister criticized previous governments for playing politics on power issues. "Politics used to be played on power issues. One (political) outfit used to ask people not to pay bill saying they will waive (outstanding amount) when they come to power... while another outfit used to ask for votes by promising round-the-clock power supply," he said, while adding but the opposition failed to deliver on these promises once they came to power.

In contrast, the BJP-led dispensation initiated many reforms, he said. Saini said under the leadership of Narendra Modi, the country is making rapid progress in the field of solar energy. In 2016, the Prime Minister inaugurated the International Solar Alliance Secretariat in Gurugram, accelerating the nation's transition to green energy. Speaking on this occasion, Haryana Power Minister Ranjit Singh Chautala said in recent years, Haryana has made significant strides in the power sector. Earlier, Minister of State for Transport and Ambala City MLA, Aseem Goel, in his address, noted Modi's vision for India to lead in solar energy, setting an example for other nations.