BHOPAL: Sudden rise in applications for new electricity connections has taken officials of the power department by surprise. They are now probing if state government’s Indira Grih Jyoti Scheme is the reason behind it.
Under Indira Grih Jyoti Scheme, started by Kamal Nath government in September, consumer has to pay Rs 100 only for using electricity up to 100 units. Later the benefit was increased for customers consuming electricity up to 150 units where consumer had to pay Rs 100 for 100 units and charges according to slab for 50 units that brought down the bill of thousands of consumers at around Rs 350.
The scheme was announced in September and consumers started to get benefit from October for the bills of month of September. However, by a steep rise in applications for new connections was observed in the month of November and December.
“Applications for new electricity connections coming in large numbers from houses older than a decade create suspicion. This trend has been observed in past two months from several places, specially from Gwalior-Chambal division,” said an official from electricity department.
Officials have now given instructions to field staff to verify the applicants. The feedback they have received from Gwalior division indicates that applications have duplication of house number.
“It seems that people living in same house have applied for second connection on the name of brother or other family member to minimize their electricity bill,” said the official.
There are several cases where bill of people have exceeded by five to ten units making them ineligible to avail benefits of Indira Grih Jyoti Scheme therefore they are applying for second connection for the same house.
Power companies are keeping close vigil on such cases and will not allow misuse or manipulation of such schemes, said the official.
