Bhubaneswar, Ap 14: Deputy Chief Minister Kanak Vardhan Singh Deo has directed all electricity distribution companies (discoms) in Odisha not to disconnect power supply to domestic consumers over unpaid bills during the summer months.

Singh Deo, who also holds the Energy portfolio, stated that unscheduled power cuts will not be allowed for non-payment. “Interruptions, if any, shall only be for essential repair or maintenance work. All scheduled outages must be widely publicized via SMS alerts and public announcements,” he said.

The Deputy Chief Minister has asked relevant departments and discoms to sensitize personnel about the directive and implement a robust monitoring mechanism to ensure compliance, offering relief to household consumers during peak summer.

Energy Department Additional Chief Secretary Vishal Kumar Deb has been tasked with overseeing the measures and submitting progress reports for review.