In a significant relief for domestic power consumers, Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai announced on Tuesday that the state government will expand its popular "half electricity bill" scheme from 100 units to 200 units starting December 1, 2024.
Major Expansion of Power Subsidy
The announcement came during a day-long special Vidhan Sabha session that marked the final farewell to the old assembly building. Chief Minister Sai revealed that the decision was made following a request from the state BJP chief to make the day "memorable" for consumers across Chhattisgarh.
"We had the half-bill benefit up to 100 units. We have now decided to extend it to 200 units," the Chief Minister declared, emphasizing that this move will benefit more than 42 lakh of the state's 45 lakh domestic power consumers.
How the Revised Scheme Works
Under the revised electricity subsidy scheme, households consuming up to 400 units per month will receive the benefit of paying only half the bill for the first 200 units. This means:
- Consumers using up to 200 units will see their payable bill reduced by approximately half
- Those consuming between 200 and 400 units will get the half-bill benefit on the first 200 units and pay full charges for the remaining consumption
The Chief Minister also highlighted the growing interest in renewable energy, noting that demand for rooftop solar installations has surged dramatically across the state.
Solar Energy Push Continues
"So far, we have received over 1 lakh applications and more than 12,000 solar plants have already been installed," Sai reported. "Our priority is to ensure affordable and reliable power to every consumer."
The state government will continue providing subsidies under the PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana, offering ₹15,000 for 1 kW rooftop solar systems and ₹30,000 for 2 kW and above installations.
"With this, we are moving from half-bill relief to genuinely free power through solar," the Chief Minister stated confidently. "I am confident this step will reduce power bills for consumers and help Chhattisgarh move towards energy self-reliance."
Political Context and Opposition Reaction
This restoration comes just four months after the government had significantly curtailed the benefit. On August 1, 2024, the Sai government reduced the half-bill slab from 400 units to 100 units, which had substantially increased monthly electricity bills for lakhs of households compared to what they paid under the previous Congress government's scheme.
The original half-bill plan was launched on March 1, 2019, by the then Bhupesh Baghel government to cushion domestic consumers against rising living costs.
The Congress party has dismissed the latest rollback as inadequate and politically motivated. Chhattisgarh Pradesh Congress Committee president Deepak Baij alleged that the BJP government acted only after the opposition announced a protest march to the chief minister's residence.
"Frightened by our call to gherao the CM residence, the government has extended the half-bill benefit to 200 units. But this is not enough," Baij asserted.
He demanded that the benefit be restored up to 400 units and that the recent tariff hike be rolled back completely. "Unless the government rolls back the increased power rates and halves bills up to 400 units by November 30, Congress will continue its agitation and will lay siege to the chief minister's residence in December," he warned.
The expanded electricity subsidy scheme represents a significant policy shift that will provide substantial financial relief to millions of households across Chhattisgarh as they prepare for the winter months.
