Maharashtra Energy Minister Nitin Raut on Tuesday announced that all Mahavitaran’s consumers can pay their electricity bill for June in three instalments. The Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company Limited (MahaVitaran) has allowed EMI option for paying the bill.
This comes amid the outrage over hiked electricity bills. Amid the ruckus, Raut announced that the MahaVitaran customers who pay their June bill on time and in one go will be eligible for a rebate of two per cent.
The state energy minister further stated that those who have already paid the bill will get a refund. Those who have paid higher than their usage warranted can claim a refund or claim the reduction in the next cycle, Raut added.
The minister said that corrections will be made in the electricity bills for those who have been given average bills in April and May despite their premises being locked. Moreover, a refund will be given to such consumers of the excess amount if they have already paid the bill, he added.
The state-owned MahaVitaran or Mahadiscom has been directed to set up a help desk at divisional levels to address the grievances of people with hiked electricity bills.
Since the nationwide lockdown which was imposed from March 25 in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, the meter readings have been suspended. However, Raut has informed that the meter readings are on from June 1 in all areas except containment zones.
The Maharashtra Electricity Regulatory Commission (MERC) informed that the consumers have been billed on the basis of an average consumption based on three months before March. This is based on the meter readings of the winter season when the electricity consumption is low.
It also noted that the discoms have followed the rules of “practice direction” through which the present bills have been issues on meter readings of the summer months when the consumption is usually high and the bills are in higher amounts.
“Therefore, the balance amount payable after adjusting the average bill amounts for each of the three months including March, April and May have led to a higher bill that was issued in June,” the MERC said in a statement.
Raut also stated that the excess consumption was not only because of the summer heat but also because of work from home.
Meanwhile, Adani Electricity which distributes power in Mumbai's suburbs also offered the EMI option for its consumers for three to 24 months for paying the electricity bill while stating that the extra units will be divided in the meter readings of June and July if the same has been hiked in April and May.
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