Hyderabad: In the run-up to the GHMC elections, the TRS government intends to waive Rs 128 crore domestic power bill arrears and Rs 295 crore water bill arrears that have accumulated over the years.
The official announcement is held up in view of the code of conduct being in force for the ensuing MLC elections.
The decision to waive arrears is learnt to have been taken by Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao, when city ministers Nayani Narasimha Reddy, Talasani Srinivas Yadav and T. Padma Rao Goud met him at his camp office on Thursday.
The ministers are said to have brought to the notice of the CM the plight of poor people in paying previous arrears and sought their waiver.
The CM is learnt to have responded favourably but told them that the government cannot issue orders at this stage due to the poll code.
He told them that the orders will be issued soon after MLC polls are over. The decision will benefit nearly 6 lakh households which utilised 50 units to 100 units of power and owe Rs 128 crore in arrears.
Mr Rao is learnt to have told ministers and officials that power and water are the most important needs of any household and it is the responsibility of the state government to provide them for the poor by giving certain relaxations even if it imposes a financial burden on the state government.
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