Punjab announces 300 units free power every month from July 1

Chandigarh: The Punjab government Saturday announced 300 units of free power for households in the state every month from July 1, but with a caveat that they will have to pay the full bill if their usage exceeds 600 units in two months.

However, scheduled castes, backward castes, below-poverty-line households and freedom fighters will be charged just for the usage over and above 600 units. Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann made the announcement here on Saturday, fulfilling one of the key poll promises of the Aam Aadmi Party.

The party’s national convener Arvind Kejriwal had promised free electricity up to 300 units for the state during his election campaign in June last year.

The move will put an estimated additional burden of Rs 5,000 crore on the state exchequer.

The Aam Aadmi Party said the scheme will benefit 80 per cent of domestic category electricity consumers in the state.

“From July 1, 2022, each household in Punjab will get free electricity of 300 units per month. And it will be 600 units for two months,” the chief minister said in a video message on Saturday, when his government completes one month in office.

Mann further said if electricity consumption exceeds 600 units in two months, then a consumer will have to pay for the entire power usage.

But the scheduled castes, backward castes, below-povertyline households and freedom fighters will be charged just for the usage over and above 600 units, the chief minister added.

“For example, if they consumed 640 or 645 units, then they will pay for 40 or 45 units,” added Mann.

Punjab has a two-month billing cycle for power supply.

The SC, BC, BPL families and freedom fighters (around 21 lakh consumers), currently getting free 200 units each month, will now get 300 units of electricity monthly, said Mann.

The state’s information and public relations department put out advertisements with the announcement in various newspapers published Saturday morning.

Mann also announced waiving off electricity bills pending till December 31, 2021 of those households having up to two-kilowatt load.

Moreover, he said there would be no increase in the electricity tariff for industrial and commercial consumers while free power to the farming community would continue.

The Punjab chief minister further said his government would ensure round-the-clock supply to every village and town in two-to-three years.