The number of “zero bills” for household power users has begun to soar as winter has arrived. As a consequence, even if domestic consumers would profit from this, the state will have to bear a greater subsidy burden.

Details show that in October, 97.17 percent of residential electricity customers got subsidies (zero bills and power at discounted rates), while just 2.83 lakh households were required to pay the full cost of their energy consumption.

Beginning on July 1, the government has put into effect its plan to provide 600 units of free electricity throughout a billing cycle (of two months). When bills were initially given to clients in July after the launch of the program, 62.36 percent of them had a “zero bill.”

In all, 67.53 percent of customers had no bills in August, compared to 70.74 percent in September. 76.07% of customers reported receiving such invoices in October. Up to November 15, 84.58 percent of the state’s residential users got “zero bills.”