Rebates on electricity bills for prompt payment an eyewash!

The Electricity Department’s energy bills upto July 31, 2019 indicate availability of “0.25 per cent discount on bill amount for payments made within seven days in advance of the due date”. Further, bills of subsequent months indicate availability of “an additional one per cent rebate on electronic payment made at least seven days in advance of the due date”.

It is seen from the calculation details shown in the bills that even if the payments are made by electronic modes within the stipulated time limit, neither the 0.25 per cent discount nor the additional one per cent rebate is given to the consumers. In fact, the column listing the item wise break-up of the summary of bill charges does not even show any item where such discount/rebate is reflected.  

It, therefore, appears that the availability of discounts/rebates for prompt payments is merely an eyewash to hoodwink the consumers. As the discount available is miniscule, which is not adequate even to buy a cup of tea, no domestic consumer would, perhaps, like to waste his time in questioning the Electricity Department in this matter.

However, as a matter of principle, it is incumbent on the Electricity Department to dispel the doubts and clarify to those consumers, who comply with the stipulated conditions of payment as to why the prescribed discount or rebate is not given to them in subsequent bills. 

It is needless to add that continued silence in this matter will tantamount to a tacit admission of another scam in the making, considering the large number of houses in Goa with LTD connections.