54 govt depts owe PSPCL Rs 232 crore
Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL) is always criticised for being in losses. The losses incurred are not due to non-payment of bills by individuals or private firms alone. A big share of these are caused by government departments, which have failed to pay hefty power bills to the PSPCL.
If the data with the PSPCL is any indication, the Central Zone, Ludhiana (comprising east, west, suburban and Khanna circles), is facing losses to the tune of over Rs 232 crore due to the non-payment of pending electricity bills by the government departments. There are 54 government departments, which have to clear the pending bills.
One of the officials working with the department said the PSPCL was always condemned for being in losses. “But when huge pending bills of government offices are lying pending, how can the department handle it? However, the PSPCL faces the wrath always for the same,” the official said.
As per the data, the Department of Local Bodies owes Rs 12,095.44 lakh to the PSPCL, which is pending for several years. Water Supply and Sanitation Department owes Rs 5,260.32 lakh. Bills worth Rs 2,016.48 lakh of another department, the Department of Rural Development and Panchayat, are also pending. The Department of Health and Family Welfare has to pay bills to the tune of Rs 2,012.62 lakh. Besides, there are many other departments such as Sewerage Board (Rs 544.40 lakh), Home Affairs and Jails (Rs 469.50 lakh) that owe dues worth crores to the power corporation.
The official when asked that why the PSPCL was not able to get the payments on time, said one could get private connections snapped if bills were not paid.
“How can we cut power connections of Local Bodies, Water Supply and Sanitation or Health and Family Welfare and other government departments? The matter has to be decided by the government or the PSPCL regulatory committee. If such a huge amount is pending in Ludhiana, bills worth crores must be pending in other districts of the state. The PSPCL would remain in losses if such situation exists,” the official said.
