Electric connections to households made easy

KOCHI: Getting a new electricity connection to the households will not be a Herculean task anymore as the Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB) has eased  the norms. According to the latest notification by the board,  the submission of building certificate issued by the Corporation and the panchayat authorities is not mandatory for allotting new service connections to the households.According to the new notification, the applications for the service connections can be submitted along with the copies of any of the identity proofs, including the voters identity card, ration card, national rural employment guarantee programme (NREGP) card, the residential card issued by the panchayats, tax receipt or the ownership certificate issued from the village offices.The application forms can be bought from the division and circle offices of the KSEB. The cost of the application form is `10. The filled in application forms along with the copy of the identification certificates can be either submitted directly or through registered post. However, the Board can disconnect the connection if the local body finds out that the building has been constructed by violating the norms.Earlier, the applicants should have to submit the copy of the building permit issued by the local body to apply for new service connections.The KSEB has also decided to give new connections within 24 hours unless no new electric posts have to be erected. In certain cases where additional posts have to installed, the time limit is likely to exceed more than 24 hours, the KSEB authorities said.