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Ludhiana: PSPCL recovers ₹80cr dues from govt depts
The officials said ₹80.81 put of ₹281.5 crore due with multiple departments were recovered during the drive started to meet revenue targets and reduce financial strain in view of the impending end of the current financial year
The Punjab State Power Corporation Limited’s (PSPCL) Ludhiana Central zone recovered over ₹80 crore in dues from defaulting government departments during a month-long drive in the city, officials aware of the matter said.
They said that even after the recoveries, nearly ₹200 crore were still outstanding with various departments.
The officials said ₹80.81 put of ₹281.5 crore due with multiple departments were recovered during the drive started to meet revenue targets and reduce financial strain in view of the impending end of the current financial year.
According to data provided by PSPCL, the department of local government led the repayments and cleared ₹58.56 crore of the ₹152.2 crore due on its part. It was followed by the department of health and family welfare that paid ₹7.89 crore out of ₹27.5 crore and the department of water supply and sanitation that settled ₹7.16 crore from the ₹54.3-crore bill outstanding.
Other notable payments came from the department of rural development and panchayats ( ₹2.72 crore out of ₹22.17 crore), the sewerage board ( ₹2.4 crore out of ₹27.5 crore), department of home affairs and hails ( ₹96 lakh out of ₹6.11 crore) and the department of legal and legislative affairs, which paid ₹47 lakh out of the ₹4.09 crore due.
PSPCL Ludhiana Central Zone chief engineer Jagdev Singh Hans emphasised the challenges of dealing with errant departments. “We cannot cut their connection as they are providing essential services. Hence, we keep issuing regular notices and reminders to expedite electricity bill payments, ensuring that outstanding amounts do not accumulate,” he said.
Over ₹200 crore due with 35 depts
However, 35 government departments in Ludhiana still need to clear a combined outstanding of ₹200.7 crore in electricity bills.
The department of local government, comprising municipal corporation, has the highest overdue of ₹93.64 crore. The department of water supply and sanitation also has an outstanding balance of ₹47.14 crore. These two together account for nearly 70% of the total outstanding.
Hans added that when the departments do not respond, they escalate the matter to higher government officials given that many government departments rely on state funding. “Hence, we seek intervention from the state government to get the payments,” the chief engineer said.
He added that in some instances, the government deducts the outstanding dues from the respective department’s budgets, ensuring that essential services remain unaffected, and dues are recovered.
