Eyeing Rs 4,775 cr, PSPCL to offer OTS scheme for recovering dues

Tribune News Service

Patiala, March 21

Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL) is going to launch a one-time settlement (OTS) scheme to recover Rs 4,775 crore, which were due till September 2022, from the government and private consumers, who failed to clear their pending bills. The petition in this regard is pending before the Punjab State Electricity Regulatory Commission (PSERC).

Subject to clearance, the OTS scheme for defaulters to clear power dues will help the PSPCL recover Rs 2,534 crore pending dues from government departments alone.

Further, a single instead of multiple surcharges will be implemented that will reduce interest on delayed payments. Last time, a similar OTS scheme was offered in April 2021 by the PSPCL.

As per the zone-wise break up of departments in Punjab, the west zone owes Rs 723 crore, the south zone Rs 715 crore, the border zone Rs 705 crore, the north zone Rs 304 crore and the central zone Rs 126 crore to the power corporation.

Main defaulters are the Water Supply and Sanitation Department that has to pay Rs 1,124 crore, the Local Bodies Department Rs 881 crore, Rural Development and Panchayats Department Rs 286 crore and the Health Department Rs 125 crore to the PSPCL.

The Punjab Government has cleared the full subsidy amount due up to March 15 this year to the PSPCL. This is the first time that in more than a decade the PSPCL has received a full amount of due subsidy.

As per the PSPCL estimates, the subsidy due during the financial year 2022-23 is Rs 20,200 crore, including the first of five installments of Rs 1,804 crore, from previous years pending subsidy amount of Rs 9,020 crore.

The PSPCL has received Rs 18,691 crore in cash. Now, the balance subsidy to be received by the PSPCL in the current month is Rs 968 crore only.

“In order to ensure that more and more consumers register their applications under the OTS scheme, there is a proposal to launch it for a period of three months from the date of issue of commercial circular,” the PSPCL claimed in its petition before the regulator.

Water Supply Dept owes Rs 1,124 cr

The Water Supply and Sanitation Department owe Rs 1,124 crore, the Local Bodies Department Rs 881 crore, the Rural Development and Panchayats Department Rs 286 crore and the Health Department Rs 125 crore to the PSPCL.

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