India, Feb. 5 -- LUCKNOW The UP Power Corporation Limited's (UPPCL) one-time settlement scheme (OTS) has evoked poor response, with only 18.21% of eligible consumers (defaulters) registering for it so far. Only 38.32 lakh out of 2.10 crore eligible consumers have enrolled, raising concerns over the effectiveness of the initiative aimed at clearing long-standing electricity dues, prompting the UPPCL management to extend the scheme till February 15.

"The response to the OTS this time is not encouraging. And not giving 100% rebate on the surcharge/interest is believed to be one of the reasons for defaulters not availing the scheme the way they were expected to," a senior UPPCL official said.

Data highlights stark regional disparities, with...