The Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL) has recovered ₹328.78 crore from electricity defaulters across Ludhiana in a three-month recovery drive that concluded on March 31. The recovery, launched in December end last year, has targeted consumers with pending bills across industrial, commercial and domestic categories.
According to officials, the power utility has disconnected 13,958 power connections during the crackdown, which was timed with the financial year-end to plug revenue leaks, boost recovery and to improve the financial health of the power sector. As per data, City West division alone accounted for the highest recovery worth ₹82.28 crore, followed by Estate division at ₹68.18 crore. The Aggar Nagar and Model Town divisions termed as the key urban pockets in Ludhiana saw recovery of ₹42.65 crore and ₹33.18 crore, respectively.
The aggressive disconnection campaign saw the highest number of connections severed in Focal Point division with 2,350 defaulters’ connections being disconnected, followed closely by Sunder Nagar (2,325), CMC (1,825), and City Centre (1,650).
“The recovery drive is a dedicated enforcement mechanism wherein defaulting consumers are identified using billing data and served notices. Our teams then serve them notices to pay their bills within the stipulated timeframe of at least 45 days to clear their dues. If they fail to do so, we proceed with their disconnection. These drives are planned at divisional levels based on the area size and number of consumers in the respective areas,” explained a senior PSPCL official.
{{/usCountry}}“The recovery drive is a dedicated enforcement mechanism wherein defaulting consumers are identified using billing data and served notices. Our teams then serve them notices to pay their bills within the stipulated timeframe of at least 45 days to clear their dues. If they fail to do so, we proceed with their disconnection. These drives are planned at divisional levels based on the area size and number of consumers in the respective areas,” explained a senior PSPCL official.
{{/usCountry}}He added that the drive is especially important from a revenue point of view, as timely recovery of dues helps PSPCL manage rising power purchase costs, maintain infrastructure, and ensure uninterrupted electricity supply to paying consumers.
Chief engineer, PSPCL Ludhiana, Jagdev Singh Hans, said, “Keeping in view the conclusion of the financial year on March 31, our teams at divisional and sub-divisional levels were on their toes, to improve the corporation’s finances and reduce outstanding dues.”