Farmers Affected By Flooding Should Not Be Forced To Pay Electricity Bills: Fadnavis

Devendra Fadnavis, Deputy chief minister of Maharashtra, claimed on Monday that the state electricity company had been ordered not to demand payment from farmers who had lost crops due to excessive rainfall during the previous two months.

"I have instructed employees of the state power distribution company (MSEDCL) not to penalise farmers for not paying their electricity bills, particularly those who had their crops destroyed by excessive rain. However, officials have been instructed to just collect the farmers' electrical bills for the current season," said Fadnavis.

"The farmers who could repay the power bills can do it," he added.

He further said if farmers pay the bills for the current season their connections should not be snapped. Those who can repay bills should pay them.