NT NETWORK
Panaji
To recover the outstanding power dues, the government has decided to introduce a one-time settlement scheme for defaulter consumers.
Power Minister Nilesh Cabral said that out of 6,78, 252 consumers of the electricity department, 60,842 consumers need to pay outstanding dues of Rs 280 crore with delay payment charges.
“To recover the outstanding power dues, the government has decided to come out with a one-time settlement scheme for defaulter consumers. I have already moved the file in this regard for a cabinet approval,†he said. Cabral clarified that the outstanding power dues of Rs 280 crore include delay payment charges as well, adding that the scheme will aim at waiving off the delay payment charges. But defaulters will have to pay the principal amount.
If the consumer pays up the outstanding dues within a month after the settlement scheme is notified then he or she will have to pay only the principal amount; he or she will get 100 per cent waiver in delay payment charges, he explained.
If the outstanding dues are paid within two months of the scheme launch then consumers will have to pay 20 per cent of the delay payment charges.
Similarly, 30 per cent of the delay payment charges will have to be paid by the defaulter consumers if the payment is made within three months; there will be 40 per cent waiver if the payment is made within four months and 50 per cent of the delay payment charges will be waived off if the dues are paid within five months.
However, there will be no waiver of delay payment charges if the dues are paid six months after the scheme is introduced.
The minister attributed the rise in power tariff to the outstanding power dues.
Once the scheme is launched the electricity department will withdraw the cases filed for the recovery of the outstanding power dues, Cabral said.