3.6 Million households commit power theft in Uttar Pradesh

Bareilly: With an aim to curb power theft, The Uttar Pradesh Power Corporation Limited (UPPCL) has set October 15 as the deadline to provide legal power connections to households which steal electricity from power cables. As per official data available with the power department, as many as 35.74 lakh households across the state have been identified by various distribution companies (discoms) to be committing power theft.
According to the power department, below poverty line (BPL) families and those under SECC (Socio-Economic Caste Census)will be provided free electricity connections. Others will be charged Rs 500, which can be paid in 10 installments (of Rs 50 a month). Consumers will be given a power connection even if they pay the first installment as the corporation aims to convert illegal users into authentic ones and curb power theft, said officials. Each household will be offered installation of electricity meters, connecting cables and a BPL kit, consisting of a socket board and an LED bulb, all free of cost
Speaking to TOI, executive engineer in Madhyanchal Vidyut Vitran Nigam Limited (MVVNL), Bareilly division, PA Moga, said,“Households which do not have a power connection, but still manage to use electricity in their houses, have already been identified by the power department in UP and the distribution companies are now focusing on providing such informal consumers a legitimate power connection, in order to get rid of power theft in the state. The households will be covered under
power for all (PFA) scheme of the government of India.” Moga added, “According to an official survey conducted in Bareilly division, the power department has identified a total of 1,61,412 households in the entire division— 29,927 in Bareilly, 79,052 in Shahjahanpur, 49,433 in Badaun and 3,000 in Pilibhit— that are committing power thefts and are using electricity illegally. The maximum number of identified households have infrastructure for electrification but are reluctant to get registered power connections but prefer stealing electricity from power cables using angles.”[Source-The Times of India]