Ludhiana: Change policy if can’t afford subsidies, say PSEB Engineers’ Association

There was a pendency of previous subsidy bills of ₹5,400 crore and non-payment of bills worth ₹3,100 crore by various state government departments, the release revealed

Punjab State Electricity Board (PSEB) Engineers’ Association has asked the state government to change its policy on the subsidy on electricity as delayed subsidy bill payments have started to bear on the Punjab State Power Corporation Limited.

The subsidy bills made up almost 45% of the PSCPL’s revenue. (HT PHOTO)

According to a press release issued by the association on Thursday, the subsidy bills made up almost 45% of the corporation’s revenue, due to which any delay in payment of subsidy bills had adverse effects on the overall financial health of the company. There was a pendency of previous subsidy bills of ₹5,400 crore and non-payment of bills worth ₹3,100 crore by various state government departments, the release stated.

The association alleged that the employees and pensioners were paid only partial amount instead of their full salaries for January . This led to a protest by the PSPCL employees following which the balance of salaries was credited on Friday. A senior PSPCL official said that a technical glitch was responsible for the delay.

President of PSEB Engineers’ Association, Jasvir Singh Dhiman, said that the situation indicated that the lagging subsidies’ payment weighed the powercom down.

Dhiman said that the government should clear the subsidy dues on time so that the employees don’t have to suffer. The association claimed the employees were compensating for the staff shortage by working “beyond their prescribed duties”.

A PSPCL official, on the condition of anonymity, said, “The government’s intention is to keep the payments flowing but it seems that they are not collecting the revenue required to fulfil these subsidies.”