Grahakjago (S.K.Virmani)©

Why should DHBVN charge additional amount for making online payment/application for new connection?  Recently a news report was published in Navbharat Faridabad Times dtd. 13/06/2016 reporting that DHBVN (Dakshin Haryana Bijli Vitran Nigam) would be charging an additional amount of Rs. 50/- per application for online application for getting electricity connection. DHBVN has also been charging additional amount for making online payment of their electricity bills.  The author is of the opinion that such charging of additional amount as surcharge for onine application for electricity connection and online payment for electricity bills is ant-consumer practices as : 1. Online application reduces cost of service provider i.e DHBVN on account of stationary, engagement of manpower for interfacing with the consumer, data entry in computerising the application received besides stress on space and resources that may be due to personal visits of the applicant in case of ...

I have been a subscriber of MTNL Dolphin mobile connection. The choice of having MTNL connection was basically that the PSUs operator cannot adapt to unfair trade practices. However my belief shattered for the first time when it came to the notice that BSNL was charging migration fee for migrating from one plan to another. As per regulation of TRAI (an authority in India to protect the interest of telecom consumers) the migration fee is not allowed to be charged. BSNL was violating the same which made me to believe that when it comes to the talk of unfair trade practices, PSUs are not lagging behind. BSNL was charging the same till December 2011. Surprisingly BSNL withdrawn such unethical charges being charged from consumers only after intervention of TRAI. Failed to understand why intervention of TRAI was required. Had it been charged inadvertently, the same would have been withdrawn immediately when it was brought to their notice. Coming back to the topic of MTNL (Mahanagar T...