PSPCL to install 1,800 prepaid smart meters in Sangrur circle
Parvesh Sharma
Sangrur, February 10
The decision of the Punjab Government to install prepaid smart electricity meters has revived hopes of officials of the Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL) to recover Rs 126 crore dues pending towards various government departments in the Sangrur circle.
Fund crunch delayed payment
We are willing to clear all pending dues of the PSPCL, but without getting required funds from the government, how can we pay? We are facing problems due to a delay in the release of the required funds by the government. Senior govt official
As per figures shared by PSPCL officials, out of total amount, Rs 51 crore is pending towards the Water Supply and Sanitation Department, Rs 36.92 crore towards the Local Government Department, Rs 26 crore towards the Rural Development and Panchayat Department, Rs 6.24 crore towards the Health and Family Welfare Department and the remaining dues are to be paid by other departments.
Repeated payment reminders of PSPCL officials for the recovery of pending dues have failed to elicit the required response from the departments concerned.
After the state government’s decision to install prepaid meters at government departments, PSPCL officials have once again issued letters to all defaulters and asked them to clear their pending electricity bills within 15 days.
Officials of the PSPCL confirmed on anonymity that if defaulters failed to clear their pending dues they had plans to forfeit their security deposited at the time of getting electricity connections.
Some senior officails of the defaulting departments said delay in the release of the required funds at the government level created problems for them. “We are willing to clear all pending dues of the PSPCL, but without getting required funds from the government, how can we pay? We are only facing problems due to delay in the release of required funds by the government,” said a senior official of a department on anonymity.
The Sangrur circle has five divisions that include Sangrur, Sunam, Lehra, Dirba and Patran. In the Sangrur circle, as per the details prepared by PSPCL officials, around 1,800 prepaid smart meters would be installed in government departments. The process will start in the coming days as the PSPCL has already sought mobile numbers from all departments to send alerts after the installation of smart meters.
“Prepaid smarts meters will be installed only in government departments. When balance of departments will be 50 per cent or lower, the PSPCL will send alerts to departments,” said RK Mittal, Superintending Engineer, PSPCL, Sangrur circle.
