Delhi Power Minister AK Walia on Wednesday said that the benefit of subsidised electricity on consumption up to 150/200 units per month has started percolating down to the consumers and around 10 lakh consumers have benefited from this scheme during March, 2008. The Delhi Government has released Rs 13 crore for the purpose. Walia was speaking to mediapersons after chairing a weekly power review meeting on Wednesday wherein status of ongoing amnesty scheme was reviewed, apart from the scheme of subsidised electricity on restricting consumption up to 150/200 units per month. Walia stated that response to the amnesty scheme has been fairly encouraging, as 8,242 requests have been received for meter change/settlement of theft cases and new-metered connection. BYPL has received 1,074 requests whereas BRPL has received 3,159 requests. NDPL has received 3,409 requests under ongoing amnesty scheme, which is open till June11. In all 1,529 new meters have been installed after receiving request for change of tampered/suspected/damaged meters and 3,276 cases of theft/direct abstraction of energy amounting to Rs 6.80 crore have been settled. The ongoing amnesty scheme has three components which relate to settlement of all the existing unsettled power theft cases, installation of new electronic meters instead of monthly fixed connections in JJ colonies and clusters and change of old and tampered meters. The scheme is open to residential, industrial and commercial consumers. In case of theft cases, domestic consumers are being offered 60 per cent rebate and commercial and industrial consumers are being offered 50 per cent rebate in the assessed bills. Apart from this, late payment surcharge is also being waived off. Walia stated that the Delhi Government has released Rs 44 crore for street lighting in 829 unauthorised colonies, which would be completed within a few months. Apart from this, the Government has released an amount of Rs 2,738 crore to waive off dues of consumers pertaining to DVB/DESU arrears. Around 1.97 lakh consumers (Rs 902 crore) from BYPL area, 1.94 lakh consumers (Rs 1,115 crore) from BRPL and 1.6 lakh consumers (Rs 721 crore) from NDPL area have been benefited with this.