ISLAMABAD; Sept 3: The government has submitted a plan to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for getting clearance for relief to the consumers in electricity bills issued for the month of July. The relief plan is based on the consumption -based formula.
The relief to the consumers in their electricity bills for July last is subject to the approval of the IMF. Sources said the electricity consumers who used 300 units in July will get a relief of Rs 3000 and those who got the bills between Rs 30 to 50 thousands for the same month will get a relief of Rs 7 thousand. In the third category ,the consumers who got a bill of over Rs 50000 in July will get a relief of Rs 13000.
“The government will provide relief to the consumers in their bills for the month of August” said an official of the Finance ministry requesting anonymity .
The power distribution companies had delivered inflated power bills to the consumers for July which created uproar in the public. It also invited violent protests across Pakistan. The protesting consumers had urged upon the caretaker government to launch investigations into the inflated bills case and grant them substantial relief.
Taking notice of the public protests the caretaker prime minister , Anwaarul Haq Kakar , had pledged to the nation to give them relief in power bills issued for July. The power distribution companies and other related government departments are using different tactics to misguide the caretaker government on the issue of inflated electricity bills delivered to the consumers for July.
The protectors are also demanding of the government to put an end to the provision of free electricity to the employees of the power distribution companies and other government departments including the sacred cows.
The authorities of the ministry of Water and Power and Water and Power Development Authority (WAPDA) utterly misguided prime minister , Anwaarul Haq Kakar , and informed him in one of the presentations given to him on the issue that there will be no considerable saving to the power distribution companies by ending the provision of free electricity to the employees of the power distribution companies and other sacred cows.
WAPDA is providing million of power units to its employees and other sacred cows and passing on their cost to other consumers who pay their bills as per routine. The passing on the cost of free power to honest consumers is like a day light dacoity.