Unbelievable! Man in Himachal gets ₹210 crore electricity bill
In a baffling incident, a Himachal Pradesh man was stunned to receive an electricity bill of over ₹210 crore due to a technical glitch. After investigation, the bill was corrected to actual amount.
A MAN from Himachal Pradesh was shocked when he recently saw the bill amount after receiving the electricity bill — ₹2,10,42,08,405.
Yes, you read it right. ₹210 crore.
The incident took place in the Hamirpur Zone of the state.
Lalit Dhiman, who runs a small-scale concrete business, received the exorbitant bill due to a technical error from the power department, reported India Today.
Dhiman rushed to the electricity department's office, and the officials were also stunned after seeing the bill, following which they launched a probe. Later, it was discovered that the huge amount on the bill was due to a technical error.
Following that, the amount came down to just ₹4,047.
The anomaly likely occurred due to an incorrect meter reading being entered into the system, reported India Today, quoting power department officer Ashish Kapoor, who summoned the Sub Divisional Officer (SDO) along with relevant records.
“It was a software malfunction that led to the consumer receiving an incorrect bill,” Kapoor said.
Further stating that the issue has since been rectified, he added, "We have summoned the concerned SDO with all the details and will take action if any lapses are found.
Meanwhile, earlier this month, Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu voluntarily relinquished the subsidy on all five power connections registered in his name.
He also said that affluent citizens with multiple electricity connections should relinquish subsidies to support the development of the state.
"The government spends ₹2,200 crore annually on electricity subsidies and ₹200 crore per month on salaries and pensions of electricity board employees. Subsidies should be reserved for the needy, and well-off individuals must contribute towards building a fairer society," Sukhu said.
He also reiterated the state government's vision to make Himachal Pradesh self-reliant by making all possible efforts to reform the system which led to a gradual revival of its economy.
