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Advance payment scheme: Ludhiana firm pays ₹10cr power bill to PSPCL
The power corporation has offered an interest of 1% per month on advance payment of electricity bill to its consumers
A week after receiving no response on its offer to give consumer 1 per cent interest per month on advance payment on power bill, Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL) received its first advance payment of ₹10 crore from an industrial enterprise based in Mandi Gobindgarh of Khanna circles under Central Zone. M/S Oasis Enterprise has made the advance payment for the next six months to PSPCL on April 13.
PSPCL’s central zone that includes Ludhiana (east), Ludhiana (west), Khanna, and suburban circle covers majority of industrial clusters in the state concentrated in Ludhiana and Khanna.
Confirming it, DPS Grewal, engineer-in-chief, central zone, PSPCL, said “It is the first such payment. It is a positive development and it will help PSPCL. This is highest advancement payment ever made to the power corporation. I have contacted company’s owner Sushil Gupta and expressed my gratitude for making such a big advance deposit. He is committed to deposit more amounts in advance. I urge all the consumers, including domestic and commercial, to come forward to help PSPCL improve its financial position during the lockdown.”
Grewal said that he has approached all big groups, including Oswal, Vardhman, Hero Cycles and industrials associations, in the central zone and asked them to avail the offer.
“While some are contemplating the offer, others are waiting for the guidelines from the government about the conditional withdrawal of the lockdown from April 20 before taking any financial decision. We are hopeful that all consumers will come forward since it is a lucrative offer,” he added.
Official informed that some PSPCL employees have already started paying their electricity bills in advance.
“Khanna superintendent engineer (SE) Himmat Singh Dhillon has recently deposited electricity bills of a whole year in advance. Similarly, many of the staff members have also made advance payment,” he added.
Meanwhile on Tuesday, Vardhman Adarash Ispat Pvt Ltd, based in Ludhiana, also made an advance payment of ₹3 crore to PSPCL.
Only those confident of paycheck will avail offer: Consumers
“Though it’s a great offer, however, only those who are sure of their next paycheck would go for it. Survival is the priority for the people, not savings,” said Aayush Chaku, a resident of Model Town Extension.
“1 percent return is a handsome offer made by the PSPCL, but sadly the industrialists in Ludhiana have no incoming payment right now, so I don’t think they would be taking the offer. Since the lockdown, we are only paying bills, giving salaries and providing essentials to our workers. It is a good offer made in a wrong time,” said Upkar Singh Ahuja, president of Chamber of Industrial and Commercial Undertakings (CICU)
PSPCL offer to its consumers
Staring at losses due to the non-consumption of electricity by bulk consumers amid lockdown, PSPCL had last week made the offer to all its consumers.
“PSPCL offers all its categories to make advance payment towards their electricity bills up to March 2021 and earn 1% interest on advance payment. Thus consumer will earn 12 % interest per annum (double the rate of interest per fixed deposit),” PSPCL’s appeal read.
