Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Friday announced a one-time settlement (OTS) scheme offering a complete waiver of penalties and interest on outstanding domestic electricity bills up to March 31, 2026. The initiative is expected to benefit around 24.86 lakh consumers across the state, allowing them to settle their dues by paying only the principal amount.
The government will waive ₹518 crore in penalties and interest against total outstanding dues of approximately ₹2,516 crore. The scheme will cover domestic consumers in both rural and urban areas, including households whose electricity connections have already been disconnected.
Announcing the decision at a press conference, Mann said the initiative was intended to help families struggling with accumulated electricity dues because of financial difficulties.
“Several families have been unable to clear their electricity bills due to financial constraints, and the burden of accumulated interest and penalties has continued to grow. We have decided to give them a fresh opportunity to settle their dues with dignity, without the additional burden of penalties and interest,” he said.
Mann added that consumers whose connections had been disconnected would also be eligible for restoration after settling the outstanding principal amount under the scheme.
Consumers get 45 days to settle outstanding dues
The scheme will come into effect following the issuance of a formal notification on November 14 and will remain open for 45 days.
Under the payment arrangement, eligible consumers will have to deposit 25% of their outstanding principal amount upfront. The remaining 75% can be cleared through a maximum of six equal monthly instalments.
Consumers facing financial difficulties may also be granted an additional six-month extension to complete their payments, the chief minister said.
The Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL) will send special OTS bills and notices to all eligible consumers within seven days. These documents will provide a breakdown of the total outstanding dues, the penalty and interest being waived, and the principal amount that consumers will have to pay.
Mann said the process had been designed to make the settlement convenient and transparent, with every eligible household receiving a clear account of its liabilities and the relief being offered.
He urged domestic electricity consumers to take advantage of the 45-day window and clear their pending dues.
Mann defends AAP's ticket distribution decisions
Apart from the electricity relief announcement, Mann also responded to questions about dissatisfaction among some Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leaders who have either been denied renomination or overlooked during the distribution of tickets for the upcoming Punjab Assembly elections.
The chief minister said decisions on candidate selection were taken by the party leadership and pointed out that the party had lakhs of workers but only 117 Assembly constituencies to contest.
“Everyone cannot be given a ticket. Some people have to work behind the scenes. They will get other opportunities. It is human nature to feel disappointed, but there were not many such people,” he said.
Describing the party as supreme, Mann maintained that not every worker could be accommodated as an election candidate and that those who missed out could be given other responsibilities.
'Zero plus zero amounts to zero': Mann on possible SAD-BJP tie-up
Mann also dismissed the possibility of an electoral alliance between the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD).
Asked about the prospects of the two parties coming together, he said: “Zero plus zero and zero multiplied by zero both amounted to zero.”
The chief minister also took aim at former Punjab BJP president Sunil Jakhar over his challenge to AAP national leaders Arvind Kejriwal and Manish Sisodia to contest the 2027 Assembly elections in the state.
Jakhar had expressed his willingness to take on the two AAP leaders in the electoral contest. Responding to his remarks, Mann said it was good that Jakhar had retired from electoral politics.
“Why would they (Kejriwal and Sisodia) contest in Punjab? There is something wrong with him (Jakhar). He needs to get himself checked,” the chief minister said.