In a far-reaching decision that will benefit farmers as well as domestic and commercial users of power, Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh on Tuesday ordered a nearly 50% reduction in the Service Connection Charges for extension of load.Necessary directions have been issued to Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL), with farmers benefitting to the tune of Rs 150 crores and domestic/commercial consumers to the tune of Rs 50 crores.Disclosing this here today, a spokesperson of the Chief Minister’s Office said PSPCL had submitted a petition to the Punjab State Electricity Regulatory Commission (PSERC), following which a Voluntary Disclosure Scheme (VDS) has been launched for extension of load by farmers for tubewell motors, and for household and commercial load from August 27 to October 31, 2019.As per the VDS, for extension of load, farmers would have to now deposit Rs. 2,500/- per BHP instead of the existing prescribed rate of Rs. 4,750/- per BHP i.e. for extension of load of tube well motor by 5 BHP, farmers would now have to pay Rs. 11,250/- less.Domestic consumers will have to pay SCC rate of Rs 225 to Rs 885 only as against the existing load-wise Service Connection Charges of Rs. 1000 to Rs. 1600, while Commercial consumers would have to now pay SCC rates of Rs. 500 to Rs. 800/- only.The Chief Minister has further instructed that wherever farmers/consumers come forward for extension in load, suitable augmentation of power infrastructure, including transformer and lines, should be carried out on priority.