CHANDIGARH: Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu has waived the subsidy on all five electricity meters registered in his name along with cabinet members and Congress MLAs in the state.
The Chief Minister submitted the required form to Himachal Pradesh State Electricity Board Chairman, Sanjay Gupta and urged well-off individuals to follow the same. Sukhu emphasised that affluent citizens with multiple electricity meters should relinquish subsidies to support the development of the state. He encouraged well-off consumers to voluntarily waive their subsidies through the electricity online portal of the board, by calling helpline numbers 1100 or 1912 or by visiting their nearest electricity sub-division.
All cabinet members and Congress MLAs in the state have agreed to forgo their subsidies following detailed discussions. He pointed out that the government spends Rs 2,200 crore annually on electricity subsidies and Rs 200 crore monthly on salaries and pensions of electricity board employees.
"Subsidies should be reserved for the needy and well-off individuals must contribute towards building a fairer society," he reiterated
The vision of the state government for making Himachal Pradesh self-reliant and making all possible efforts to reform the system has led to a gradual revival of the state’s economy, Sukhu said, adding that measures of the state government were proving helpful in preventing investment outflows and have further strengthened economic growth of the state.
He called on citizens to support these initiatives and said that collective efforts would ensure better opportunities for the underprivileged while driving the state's progress.
Last month the Himachal Pradesh government decided to withdraw electricity subsidies for grade one and two officers starting January 1, 2025. These officers will now pay their electricity bills at full rates. The move is part of a broader effort to strengthen the financial position of the Electricity Board and promote financial discipline in the state.
A single electricity meter subsidy per family is also being reviewed, with E-KYC and tax record collection in progress to streamline the process.