- Yogi govt’s One-Time Settlement Scheme is a hit
- Over 27 lakh consumers, including OTS Normal and OTS Theft, get registered
- Over 54,000 consumers receive benefits of dues settlement for electricity theft
By Our Correspondent
Lucknow: The One-Time Settlement Scheme of the Uttar Pradesh government to settle dues of electricity consumers is proving to be a big hit not only for consumers, but also for the Electricity Department.
By December 12, more than 27 lakh registered people had benefited from this scheme, contributing to the department’s revenue of over Rs 2,600 crores.
Moreover, in cases related to electricity theft, more than 54,000 people have availed of the benefits of the scheme with the department’s revenue exceeding Rs 180 crores.
It is noteworthy that the Yogi government launched the One-Time Settlement Scheme (OTS) on November 8 this year. Subsequently, consumers have been actively registering daily to avail the benefits of the scheme.
Two types of people are benefiting from this scheme: OTS Normal and OTS Theft (those with pending electricity theft charges). This scheme is being implemented in three phases for a total of 54 days from November 8 to December 31, 2023. The first phase of the scheme ran from November 8 to November 30, while the second phase is currently underway from December 1 to December 15. The third phase will run from December 16 to December 31.
Over 54,000 cases related to electricity theft resolved
In cases of electricity theft, the highest number of 17,312 registrations among all five discoms took place in Purvanchal Vidyut Vitran Nigam Ltd. (Varanasi), recording revenue of Rs 53.78 crores whereas a revenue of Rs 50.07 crores has been obtained from Paschimanchal Vidyut Vitran Nigam Ltd. (Meerut), where 17,276 consumers have registered.
Additionally, from Dakshinanchal Vidyut Vitran Nigam Ltd. (Agra), a revenue of Rs 39.37 crores has been collected through a total of 14,220 registered consumers. Similarly, from Madhyanchal Vidyut Vitran Nigam Ltd. (Lucknow), a revenue of Rs 35.08 crores has been gathered through 8,484 consumers, and from Kesco Kanpur, a revenue of Rs 2.47 crores has been collected through 1,184 consumers.
In this way, a total of 54,476 consumers have registered across all five discoms, resulting in a collection of Rs180.77 crores. Furthermore, on December 12 alone, 1,626 consumers registered, contributing Rs 4.05 crores to the department’s treasury.
Rs 110 crore deposited in OTS Normal in one day
Under OTS Normal, the highest number of 7,70,718 registrations have taken place in Madhyanchal Vidyut Vitran Nigam Ltd., where a total collection of Rs 490.33 crores has been made. Similarly, the highest revenue of Rs 847.74 crores has been obtained from Purvanchal Vidyut Vitran Nigam Ltd., where a total of 7,65,137 consumers have registered for the scheme. In Dakshinanchal Vidyut Vitran Nigam Ltd., a revenue of Rs 490.33 crores has been collected from 5,99,895 registered consumers, and in Paschimanchal Vidyut Vitran Nigam Ltd., a revenue of Rs 618.86 crores has been obtained from 5,93,036 registered consumers.
In total, the department has collected Rs 2,615.48 crores through registrations from a total of 27,28,786 registered consumers across all four discoms. Additionally, speaking of just December 12, a total of 1,11,771 consumers registered for the scheme, contributing Rs110.70 crores to the fund under the scheme.
Last chance will be given in the third phase
Uttar Pradesh Power Corporation Ltd. Chairman Ashish Goyal said that this scheme was started for a one-time settlement of electricity dues, which is proving to be quite successful. Under the guidance of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and Energy Minister A.K. Sharma, consumers have been provided with the facility of easy registration and settlement of pending dues.
The first phase of the scheme has concluded, and the second phase is set to end on December 15. Those consumers who have not yet availed the benefits of this scheme are urged to register immediately.
Under this, arrangements have been made to pay the dues in 12 installments for domestic consumers having loads up to one kilowatt and 6 installments for consumers having loads more than one kilowatt.
Consumers involved in cases related to electricity theft have also been included in the scheme with a discount of three-fourths of the determined revenue.
The scheme is also benefiting consumers involved in pending court cases. To avail of the benefits of the scheme, consumers can register at any departmental billing counter, SDO or EXN office, or on the UPPCL website.
