By IANS,
Chandigarh : Exposing those indulging in power theft has become more lucrative in Haryana with the state’s power distribution agencies doubling the reward and even removing the ceiling of Rs.50,000 for giving such information.
The power distribution agency, Dakshin Haryana Bijli Vitran Nigam (DHBVN), Tuesday announced that it has doubled the percentage of reward for any information of power theft and even removed the limit of Rs.50,000 given to an informer under its Theft Informer Scheme.
The state’s power distribution agencies had last year announced e-mail addresses, [email protected] and [email protected], inviting people to pass information about power theft cases confidentially.
The DHBVN has now decided to increase the amount of reward from 20 percent to 40 percent. Also the ceiling of Rs.50,000 on such rewards has been done away with, its chairman O.S. Lochab said.
For employees of the DHBVN who detect power theft cases, the reward has been enhanced from nine percent to 18 percent.
Informers get Rs.1,000 immediately on giving correct information about power theft. They are also given a secret code by the DHBVN. After the full amount is realized by the Nigam from the defaulter, the informer will be paid 40 percent amount as share.
Informers need not disclose their identity at any stage to the DHBVN, a spokesman said.
The informers can also call DHBVN telephone numbers to pass information and get their secret code.
The Bhupinder Singh Hooda government in Haryana had waived arrears of nearly Rs.17 billion in April 2005 of defaulting electricity consumers provided they paid bills for the next 20 months.