'Atal Bihari Vajpayee Powerloom Electricity Flat Rate Scheme'

• 07 Apr 2023

Why in News?

On 5 April 2023, in the cabinet meeting chaired by Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, the state's 'Atal Bihari Vajpayee Powerloom Electricity Flat Rate Scheme' was approved. 400 crore will be spent on this scheme.

Key Points

• Under the 'Atal Bihari Vajpayee Powerloom Electricity Flat Rate Scheme', the government has given a big relief to the power-loom weavers of the state and provided a flat rate facility on the electricity bill. Powerloom connection holders with five-kilowatt connections in cities will have to pay Rs 400 for half horsepower and Rs 800 for one horsepower. In rural areas, it will be Rs.300 and Rs.600 respectively.
• The benefit of this scheme will be given from 1 April 2023. At the same time, up to 80 per cent subsidy will be given on handloom and 60 per cent on the installation of power-loom.
• Powerloom connection holders with a load of more than five kilowatts will be given a subsidy of Rs 700 per horsepower, a maximum of Rs 9100 per month. This grant will be reduced in the bill.
• At the same time, the cabinet approved the proposal brought by the Micro, Small Enterprises Export Promotion and Khadi Village Industries Handloom and Textiles Department. The 'Jhalkari Bai Kori Handloom and Powerloom Development Scheme' has been launched to link the unemployed with employment opportunities. Weavers will be given a grant of Rs 50,000 and Rs 80,000 on two estimated prices of handlooms.
• Employers who do not give bonuses to employees in the private sector will no longer be jailed. Under this proposal, while approving the amendment in the Payment of Bonus Act-1965, the provision of punishment for six months has been abolished.
• Under the new provision, the amount of the fine which was one thousand rupees has been increased to ten thousand rupees. In this too, a system of mitigation has been given.
• It is known that till now there was a provision of imposing six months imprisonment or a fine of Rs 1000 or both punishment and fine on the employer for not giving a bonus to the employees.