Uttar Pradesh's Electricity Bill Relief Scheme Struggles with Low Consumer Registration
In a significant development, the latest progress report from the Uttar Pradesh Power Corporation Ltd (UPPCL) has uncovered a substantial gap in registrations under the state's electricity bill relief initiative. The data, dated February 16, highlights that four out of five distribution companies have failed to achieve even a 50% enrolment rate among eligible consumers identified as 'never paid' or 'long unpaid'.
Eligibility vs. Registration: A Stark Contrast
According to the report, a total of 1,25,39,295 consumers were deemed eligible for benefits under the Bijli Bill Rahat Yojana 2025-26. However, only 43,64,500 consumers have registered so far, resulting in an overall registration rate of just 34.81%. This low participation underscores challenges in bringing defaulters into the scheme's fold.
Discom Performance: Only One Crosses the Halfway Mark
Among the five distribution companies, Paschimanchal Vidyut Vitran Nigam Ltd (PVVNL) stands out as the sole performer to surpass the 50% threshold. With 10,30,601 eligible consumers, PVVNL has registered 5,73,603 individuals, achieving a commendable rate of 55.66%.
In stark contrast, the remaining four discoms are lagging significantly:
- Dakshinanchal: Registration rate of 37.65%
- Madhyanchal: Registration rate of 32.34%
- Purvanchal: Registration rate of 31.44%
- Kesco: Registration rate of 27.29%
Purvanchal, which has the highest number of eligible consumers at 50,78,702, has managed only 15,96,492 registrations. Similarly, Madhyanchal, with 42,34,457 eligible consumers, has secured 13,69,295 registrations, reflecting slow progress in these regions.
Financial Indicators and Relief Measures
The report also sheds light on the financial aspects of the scheme. UPPCL has collected Rs 4,607.1 crore from defaulters under the initiative, with 28.91 lakh consumers settling their dues completely. To encourage participation, waivers provided include Rs 4,019.3 crore in principal and Rs 1,188.61 crore in late payment surcharge (LPSC), offering significant relief to long-pending consumers.
UPPCL Management Directs Accelerated Efforts
During a review meeting on Tuesday, UPPCL Managing Director Pankaj Kumar issued directives to officials to expedite electricity bill recovery and enhance implementation of the relief scheme. He emphasized the need for more focused efforts to identify each defaulting consumer and ensure dues are deposited under the scheme.
Kumar noted that since the statewide launch on December 1, 2025, consumer response has been encouraging, with UPPCL collecting Rs 4,934 crore from nearly 44.5 lakh consumers. He instructed officials to seek explanations from divisions where registration among never-paid consumers falls below 50% and to take strict action in areas with low registration in electricity theft cases.
Additionally, divisions with collection efficiency below 70% were urged to improve performance, and officials were tasked with reaching out to consumers with loads above 5 kW to ensure recovery of their dues.
