Govt departments default in payment of electricity bills

Kuldip Bhatia

Ludhiana, May 3

While Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL) does not think twice in disconnecting power supply of non-paying consumers and supply in normal course is restored only after clearing all arrears, this is not the case when government departments are the defaulters. Since several government departments were providing essential services or basic amenities, the PSPCL has no other choice but to give this ‘privileged’ category of defaulters.

Major defaulters

Among other government departments that had huge arrears of electricity bills against them included Department of Health and Family Welfare (Rs 17 crore), Department of Rural Development and Panchayats (Rs 9 crore), Department of Home (Police) and Jails (Rs 4.81 crore), Department of Legal and Legislative Affairs (Rs 2.54 crore) and Department of Local Government (Rs 2.28 crore).

At times, we have to act tough. Power supply of certain police stations, including Women Cell, was disconnected recently when the departments concerned deliberately ignored our reminders and notices for payment of arrears. However, in the larger public interest, the supply was restored on the intervention of senior district and police officials. — A power official

According to the data provided by senior officials of the PSPCL, at the end of the last financial year (March 31, 2022), the total outstanding electricity bills of 33 government departments had mounted to a whopping Rs 62 crore with the Water and Sanitation Department (providing water supply in rural areas) standing tall with arrears of Rs 22.48 crore.

Among other government departments which had huge arrears of electricity bills against them included Department of Health and Family Welfare (Rs 17 crore), Department of Rural Development and Panchayats (Rs 9 crore), Department of Home (Police) and Jails (Rs 4.81 crore), Department of Legal and Legislative Affairs (Rs 2.54 crore) and Department of Local Government (Rs 2.28 crore).

Departments of Governance Reforms, Agriculture, School Education and that of Relief, Rehabilitation and Disaster management had arrears of electricity bills of less than Rs 1 crore each.

Though the State Power Minister had recently issued instructions to the PSPCL management to act as per the rules against defaulting consumers with connected load of 2 KW or above, a senior official of the power utility said they could not take stern action like disconnecting power supply to certain government departments such as hospitals and tubewells installed for water supply in the rural areas.

“We can only goad the defaulting departments to pay up and their stock response is that as and when they receive funds, pending bills will be cleared. By the time arrears are cleared, fresh bills of that much or even more amount become outstanding. So, this is like a vicious circle, which defies any permanent solution,” said the official.

Another power official said: “At times, we have to act tough. Power supply of certain police stations, including Women Cell, was disconnected recently when the departments concerned deliberately ignored our reminders and notices for payment of arrears. However, in the larger public interest, the supply was restored on the intervention of senior district and police officials.”

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