BHOPAL: Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Monday announced to waive off electricity bills worth Rs 6,400 crore, giving relief to 88 lakh consumers from the hardship arising out of the Covid pandemic.
The outstanding bills pertained to the Covid-19 period.
“The government had postponed the collection of electricity bills during the Corona period. Arrangements were made to deposit the remaining amount in six instalments. A total of 48 lakh consumers had taken the benefit of the Samadhan Yojana (settlement scheme) for that purpose. But in view of the difficulties faced by the people, electricity bill worth Rs 6,400 crore of 88 lakh domestic consumers will be waived off. Electricity bill will not be recovered from them,” Chouhan said while making a detailed statement during the debate on the Governor’s Address.
He added that those 48 lakh consumers who had deposited around Rs 189 crore under the Yojana need not be dejected, as the amount already paid would be adjusted in future bills. For farmers defaulting on loans, Chouhan announced that his government will pay the interest on their outstanding loans up to Rs 2 lakh to banks. Chouhan also announced hike MLA Local Area Development Fund from Rs 2 crore to Rs 3 crore. “They (MLAs) can use Rs 50 lakh from the fund as a voluntary fund, through which they will be able to directly help the needy.”
Further, he announced to re-start the Mukyamantri Kanyadan Yojana (marriage support scheme for poor girls of all communities) and redesign the existing Ladli Laxmi Yojana before re-launching it as Ladli Laxmi Yojana 2.0.
Maintaining that 23 lakh houses were already been built under the Prime Minister’s Housing Scheme, Chouhan assured that by the end of the year 30 lakh houses would be constructed.