Chandigarh, Oct 1: Agricultural tubewell consumers across Punjab can now regularise additional power load under a newly introduced Voluntary Disclosure Scheme by the Punjab State Power Corporation Limited. Operating for a 45-day duration beginning October 1, the program covers eligible agricultural connections existing prior to May 29, providing a structured mechanism to bring actual power consumption in line with official records.
To encourage participation, the utility maintaining state power supply slashed service connection charges to Rs 2,500 per horsepower from Rs 6,572 per horsepower. Security deposits were similarly lowered to Rs 200 per horsepower. Farmers utilizing additional capacity may opt to align their connections with legal parameters or remove extra equipment without incurring standard administrative fines.
Over 13.94 lakh agricultural tubewells operate across Punjab to support seasonal irrigation needs, particularly during paddy cultivation. Major agricultural districts including Ludhiana, Gurdaspur, Amritsar, and Sangrur account for a substantial portion of these tubewell connections.
Power corporation officials and field staff will conduct visits to assist consumers with load evaluation and process self-declaration submissions. Official guidelines confirm that penalty charges and load surcharges remain suspended for the duration of the scheme for both self-declared and inspected connections.
