Govt ends free electricity units, announces cash for senior officers
The move will apply to officers from BS-17 to BS-21. The federal government has approved a payment of Rs30 per unit instead of providing electricity without charge. The revised system will give officers a fixed amount based on their previous free-unit entitlement.
Payments set according to grades
BS-17 officers will receive Rs15,858 against an entitlement of 450 units. BS-18 officers will get Rs21,990 for 600 units under the new arrangement.
BS-19 officers will receive Rs37,594 instead of the previous allowance of 880 free units. BS-20 officers will get Rs46,992, replacing their earlier allowance of 1,100 units.
BS-21 officers also included
BS-21 officers will receive Rs55,536 under the revised payment system. The government has introduced the change as part of its decision to end free electricity facilities for eligible officers.
The Power Division has formally issued a notification confirming the change. This means officers will no longer receive a specified number of electricity units without payment under the previous arrangement.
Why the government changed the system
The decision follows the discontinuation of free electricity supplies after a High Court ruling. The new cash-based system is intended to replace the earlier facility while maintaining a fixed benefit for eligible officers.
The change could also make the benefit easier to calculate and administer because officers will receive a set payment according to their grade. However, the move also means the previous system of receiving electricity units free of charge has officially come to an end.
The decision marks a clear shift from free electricity to direct cash payments for senior Power Division officers. It also reflects the government’s effort to change benefits that were linked directly to electricity consumption.
The financial impact for each officer will now be fixed according to their grade rather than their actual electricity use. The change could become part of wider efforts to review government-provided utilities and allowances.
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