BJP MDC asks Govt to stop imposing exorbitant electricity bill on the rural poor

Syllad | The Rising MeghalayaAugust 11, 2024

BJP leader and Tura MDC Bernard N Marak has asked the state government to stop imposing exorbitant electricity bills on the rural poor.

In a statement issued on Sunday, Marak said that the exorbitant electricity bill has affected life in the rural areas.

“Centre’s Saubhagya scheme which we know as BPL lines which aimed to provide electricity to the poor families in the rural areas has become a burden to the rural folks due to high rates slapped on them. Bills have become a means to extort money from poor families in the rural areas. Smart metre is another issue as these metres are being installed without permission from the villagers. Those who install smart metre install new metres which are often faulty and they take the original metre installed through the scheme. The exorbitant bills which the poor families are slapped with have to pay them as no relief came through from the office in spite of lodging complaints,” he said.

According to him, tribals do not have to pay taxes in Meghalaya but indirect taxes have been imposed on the pretext of providing services in electricity,  mobile etc.

He said that the Centre Government has sanctioned funds for rural electrification for the poor but the poor are victimised by the Departments.

“The way the bills are being slapped on the poor families, it looks like full pledge exploitation and looting of the simple minded tribals is orchestrated. In some villages the families received exorbitant bills without electricity connection and in some villages there is no power for almost a month yet the bills remain high. Some widows complained of receiving bills as high as 3,500 to 5,000 per month,” he said while demanding “the state government should stop imposing such exorbitant rates on the poor in the guise of bills.”

“Poor villagers use electricity as a necessity not as a luxury,” he also reminded.