Chandigarh, Nov. 14 -- In major relief for over 24 lakh families, Punjab chief minister Bhagwant Mann on Friday announced a one-time settlement (OTS) scheme, granting a 100% waiver of penalties and interest on outstanding domestic power bills up to March 31, 2026. Sharing details of the scheme, the chief minister said the government was waiving Rs.518 crore in penalties and interest against total outstanding dues of Rs.2,516 crore, allowing consumers to clear only the principal amount through easy instalments. "Even consumers whose electricity connections have been disconnected can avail themselves of this opportunity. Once they settle the outstanding principal amount under the scheme, their disconnected connections will be eligible for restoration," he said. "Several families have been unable to clear their electricity bills due to financial constraints, and the burden of accumulated interest and penalties has continued to grow. We have decided to give them a fresh opportunity to settle their dues with dignity, without the additional burden of penalties and interest," he said at a press conference here. Mann said the notification would be issued on November 14, following which the scheme will come into immediate effect and remain open for 45 days. Explaining the payment mechanism, he said eligible consumers would be required to deposit 25% of their outstanding principal amount initially, while the remaining 75% could be paid in a maximum of six equal monthly instalments. Additionally, consumers facing financial difficulties could also be provided an extension of six months for completing their payments. He said the Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL) will dispatch special OTS bills and notices to all eligible consumers within the next seven days. These bills will clearly specify the total outstanding amount, the surcharge and interestbeing waived, and the actual principal amount payable under the scheme. "The entire process has been designed to ensure maximum convenience and transparency. Every eligible consumer will receive a clear account of their outstanding dues, the amount being waived and the payment required to avail the scheme," he said, appealing to all eligible domestic electricity consumers to make full use of the scheme. Responding to a media query about resentment among some Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leaders who have been denied renomination or overlooked in ticket distribution for the upcoming assembly elections, Mann said these decisions were taken by the party leadership. He said the party had lakhs of workers but only 117 assembly constituencies. "Everyone cannot be given a ticket. Some people have to work behind the scenes. They will get other opportunities. It is human nature to feel disappointed, but there were not many such people," he said, calling the party supreme. On agriculture minister Gurmeet Singh Khudian not being renominated, Mann said Khudian will play a role in the party organisation, and it was a party decision. Mann also ruled out that his wife Gurpreet Kaur was in the fray for the upcoming polls. In reply to another question, he said AAP had given adequate representation to women in the previous assembly polls; in the upcoming elections too, a number of tickets were allotted to them. Asked to comment on the potential electoral alliance between the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), Mann dismissed the prospects of such an alliance, saying that "zero plus zero and zero multiplied by zero both amounted to zero". Taking a dig at former Punjab BJP president Sunil Jakhar over his challenge to AAP national leaders Arvind Kejriwal and Manish Sisodia to contest the 2027 assembly elections in Punjab and his willingness to take them on, Mann said it was good that Jakhar had retired from electoral politics. "Why would they (Kejriwal and Sisodia) contest in Punjab? There is something wrong with him (Jakhar). He needs to get himself tested at a good hospital," the CM said....