Online portal being launched, ‘name & shame campaign’ soon
*No tariff revision in 4 years, J&K has lowest charges in country
Sanjeev Pargal
JAMMU, Sept 7: Following Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha’s directive to reduce power deficit by 10 percent within three months, the Power Development Department (PDD) has decided to go all out against Government departments, leading industrialists, commercial establishments and all other willful defaulters to recover outstanding dues from them. For the purpose, the PDD will give incentives to the staff which collect dues immediately and penalize the poor performers.
“The PDD will also launch name and shame campaign against the willful defaulters by publishing their names in the newspapers. A web portal is also being started shortly for monitoring feeders with losses and performance of the staff,” official sources told the Excelsior.
They said total outstanding dues from the Government departments have risen to Rs 5232 crore and despite repeated reminders, the departments have refused to clear the power bills and arrears . The defaulter Government departments include Jal Shakti, Health and Medical Education, Home, Irrigation and Tourism among others.
“We have decided to act tough. Earlier also, the PDD had taken up the issue of power dues with different Government departments but now we will take extreme steps,” sources said, adding as against total power purchase bill of Jammu and Kashmir worth Rs 6230 crore, only Rs 2600 crore are being received as revenue leading to heavy losses to the Government.
Voicing concern over the losses, the Lieutenant Governor had directed the PDD to cut deficit by 10 percent within the next three months prompting the Department to act against the defaulters.
In addition to launch of drive against the Government departments for recovery of power dues, the PDD has also decided to act tough against leading industrialists, businessmen and other commercial establishments against whom the electricity dues are pending. Tough action will also be initiated against domestic connection holders against whom the electricity arrears have piled up.
“A name and shame campaign will also be launched against the willful defaulters if they don’t clear their dues immediately. Their names along with arrears owed by them will be publicized including publication in the newspapers and other mediums of information,” as per the sources.
They said the Power Development Department has also planned to launch massive Enforcement and Inspection drive, installation of 100 percent Smart Metering and AB cabling to prevent power thefts.
The Department has decided to launch Online portal shortly to monitor feeder wise losses and performance of the staff. This, according to sources, will keep vigil on the staff.
According to sources, another major reason behind low revenue recovery is that tariff hasn’t been revised for the last four years.
“Along with highest losses in the country in Jammu and Kashmir, power tariff is lowest in the Union Territory,” sources pointed out.
Asserting that the Power Development Department is committed to provide maximum possible electricity to the people of Jammu and Kashmir, they said, at the same time the commercial as well as domestic consumers will also have to cooperate and deposit their power bills on time. Otherwise, they said, the Department will now be left with no other option but to act tough against the defaulters—both commercial and domestic.
The Power Distribution companies are also being strengthened, they said.
“Number of willful defaulters in both commercial and domestic groups has piled up over a period of time. Most of them appeared to be intentionally avoiding payment of electricity bills and arrears,” sources said, adding that top brass of the Department has directed the staff to act tough against them without bothering about their connections.
Admitting that the revenue can’t jump straightway to Rs 6230 crore which is electricity purchase bill of Jammu and Kashmir in a year, sources, however, said that efforts will be made to bridge the gap between purchase bill and revenue generated by the Department from the consumers.
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