NPDCL to launch scheme for new connections for SC, ST communities
Unable to prevent pilferage of power by use of hooks by slum-dwellers and people living in remote villages, TGNPDCL devised a special scheme to extend new service connections to Scheduled Castes (SCs) and Scheduled Tribes (STs) consumers residing in designated colonies
Hyderabad: Unable to prevent pilferage of power by use of hooks by slum-dwellers and people living in remote villages, the Telangana State Northern Power Distribution Corporation Limited (TGNPDCL) has devised a special scheme to extend new service connections to Scheduled Castes (SCs) and Scheduled Tribes (STs) consumers residing in designated colonies – SC colonies and Thandas – using illegal power connections. Such connections will now be replaced with regular connections. No penalty will be charged from the beneficiaries.
The NPDCL has identified that 1,18,690 SC & ST consumers were availing supply directly from the overhead lines of Discoms without service connection and meters under its jurisdiction. Mahabubabad district has the highest number of illegal power connections with 15,937 among the SCs & STs consumers, followed by Khammam district with 15,581 connections and Bhadradri Kothagudem district with 12,169 illegal connections. Kamareddy district has the lowest number of illegal connections with 3,548 being used by the consumers belonging to SC & ST communities.
According to officials, for extending new service connections to the SC & ST domestic consumers for 1 KW load, the consumer had to pay Rs. 25 towards application fee, Rs. 1200 towards development and Rs. 200 towards security deposit. Power officials will take applications directly in villages and provide receipts till September 15, the officials said, adding that power staff in the districts would educate the poor families and make them apply for electricity meters.
“Our field officers and staff have made many efforts to bring them under billing by giving new service connections, but as they are poor and unable to afford to pay service connection charges no one was coming forward. Due to which, 100 percent billing could not be done of the units consumed by the consumers and leading to AT&C losses for the Discom,” a senior official said.
The NPDCL would benefit from converting this share of (mostly) informal consumers into regular, paying customers and, at the same time, reduce the high non-technical losses and maintenance costs associated with distribution networks in the proximity of urban slums, the officials said.
The officials claim that the initiative would benefit the SCs and STs consumers as they could join the Gruha Jyothi Scheme launched by the State government and get free power upto 200 units per month. Sources said the move was aimed to get all the SCs and STs consumers using illegal connections under the Gruha Jyothi scheme so that the NPDCL could get the amount being paid by the State government for the beneficiaries of the scheme.
