MP govt to waive off power bills to tune of Rs 6,400 cr of 8.8 mn consumers

In a major relief to people amid the downturn caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Monday said his government would waive off electricity bills to the tune of Rs 6,400 crore of 88 lakh domestic consumers.

Speaking in the Assembly while replying to the motion of thanks on the governor's address, Chouhan also said the interest of defaulter farmers will be paid by the government and the annual grant for MLAs will be raised to Rs 3 crore from the current Rs 2 crore.

"The electricity bills of 88 lakh domestic consumers amounting to Rs 6,400 crore will be waived off. The interest of farmers who became defaulters because of flaws in the loan waiver scheme of the previous regime will be paid by the state government," he said.

Chouhan said his government had constructed 23 lakh homes for the poor, with the target being 30 lakh by the end of this year.

On March 28, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will take part in a house warming programme of 5.21 lakh houses, the CM informed.

"The remaining premium of Rs 2200 crore of crop insurance scheme not paid by the previous regime has now been paid. A provision of Rs 8,000 crore has been made for the construction of roads in the current year. If national highways are included in it, then roads worth Rs 31,000 crore are being constructed in the state," he informed the Assembly.

He said 5100 MW renewable energy was being produced in the state currently.

The state's growth rate at current prices is 19.7 per cent, which is the maximum in the country, while per capita income on the basis of current prices was Rs 1.24 lakh per annum, up from only Rs 15,000 under the Congress regime, which was a major achievement, Chouhan said.

Praising elected representatives, the CM said the MLA development fund was being increased to Rs 3 crore from Rs 2 crore, and Rs 50 lakh from this can be used as a discretionary fund to help needy people.

While opposition MLAs kept on interrupting the chief minister during his address. Chouhan took a swipe at Leader of Opposition Kamal Nath for being absent from the House.

After Chouhan's address, Speaker Girish Gautam adjourned the House for the day.