PANAJI: The Goa electricity department on Wednesday launched its one-time settlement scheme (OTSS) for power consumers. This is the second time the scheme is on offer, through which the department hopes to recover an outstanding amount of Rs 450 crore from close to 1.8 lakh consumers.
Power minister Ramkrishna ‘Sudin’ Dhavalikar said the scheme offers a waiver of delayed payment charges (DPC) on outstanding bills. “We have not waived off the principal amount, only the DPC,” he said.
Chief electrical engineer Stephen Fernandes said that once the scheme runs its course, the department will begin disconnecting power supply to all those having outstanding dues. “We will not keep a single consumer who has not paid their outstanding amount after the due date. In the future, we will come up with prepaid connections, so let us start being disciplined from now,” Fernandes said.
The OTSS will be open for all categories of consumers for two months up to February 27, 2023. Consumers who have cases pending in the revenue recovery court can also avail the benefits of the scheme.
“The first option is you have to pay the principal amount in one go and the entire DPC and interest will be waived off. But if some consumers are not able to pay all at once, there is a second option where you will be able to pay the amount in instalments. Domestic consumers will be able to pay the outstanding amount over up to 12 months in equally divided instalments, including the principal amount and the DPC,” said Fernandes.
In the second category, industries and all commercial establishments will be able to pay the outstanding amount in eight instalments.
“In case payment of an instalment is missed midway, one will no longer get the benefit of the scheme,” said Fernandes.
This time around, the power department has also provided relief to consumers who have occupied a new property but have found out that the past power bills had not been paid by the previous occupier. Consumers can apply online for the scheme.
Dhavalikar said that Goa’s power rates are one of the lowest in the country, yet the benefit of the OTSS is being offered as an assistance to those who were financially affected during the Covid-19 pandemic.
“Every assistant engineer should offer online facilities under their jurisdiction and see that the scheme is availed by the eligible in every village,” Dhavalikar told his department’s engineers.
He said that Goa is going to be sanctioned funds by the Centre to shift all its power lines underground.
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