Urges well-off consumers to voluntarily waive their subsidies
Punjab Newsline, Shimla, January 2-
CM Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu has voluntarily waived the subsidy on all five electricity meters registered in his name. He submitted the required form to Himachal Pradesh State Electricity Board Chairman, Sanjay Gupta and urged well-off individuals to follow suit.
Addressing the media, the Chief Minister emphasized 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.
The Chief Minister said that all Cabinet members and Congress MLAs in the state have agreed to forgo their subsidies following detailed discussions. He said 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. He said that subsidies should be reserved for the needy and well-off individuals must contribute towards building a fairer society.