Gruha Jyothi Guarantee: Why can’t Govt. follow simple and straightforward approach?

Sir,

Over the last couple of weeks, it has become amply clear that the five guarantees by the Congress Government have created more confusion and unrest among the public. 

Social and electronic media are abuzz with updates each minute and each news channel wants to outdo the rest by projecting themselves as having unambiguous information regarding the guarantees, which probably they don’t. The overall result is utter chaos and confusion.

As an example, consider the Gruha Jyothi , the so-called free 200 units per month promise.  Congress leaders could be seen on TV repeating their promise with such decisive strength about no conditions being attached, and yet, what we see in reality is the exact opposite — conditions being imposed. 

With people refusing to pay their electricity bills and bill collectors being beaten up for demanding payment, the five guarantees by the Government have so far only been successful in creating anxiety and protests.

Rather than complicating the implementation of this guarantee with average consumption, eligibility criteria, hike in electricity rates, updating of software and computer systems, time and resources wasted to implement this scheme, why couldn’t the Government simply have continued the prevailing system where one just pays for the units consumed and simply reduce the cost per unit?

This simple and straightforward approach eliminates the need for any extra processing by the electricity departments or the public at large, and the average citizen still gets the same benefit of saving money, which is what ultimately matters.

It’s not too late even now.  All the Government needs to do is to retract the 200 units “free” guarantee and replace it with a clear declaration that the price per unit will be reduced and make it effective immediately.  People, I think, will appreciate and applaud this decision by the Government to learn about what’s not working and implement what will truly work and benefit the people.

– Rama Jagadishan, Mysuru, 8.6.2023

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