Ludhiana: Woes surmount as govt depts owe PSPCL ₹281.5 crore

The local government department, including the Municipal Corporation Ludhiana, owes the largest share of ₹4.34 crore, bringing its total dues to a staggering ₹152.2 crore

In just one month, 18 government departments in Ludhiana have collectively added ₹4.86 crore to their outstanding electricity bills dues, raising the total amount owed to Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL) from ₹277.4 crore in October to ₹281.5 crore in November, adding to the woes of the already financially strained power corporation.

According to the data, some departments have also made positive efforts to reduce their outstanding amounts where seven government departments have collectively paid ₹97.82 lakh (HT File)

The local government department, including the Municipal Corporation Ludhiana, owes the largest share of ₹4.34 crore, bringing its total dues to a staggering ₹152.2 crore, further bleeding the already strained PSPCL’s finances dry, according to officials familiar with the matter.

Following this, the department of health and family welfare has emerged as another major contributor, adding ₹33.04 lakh to its dues, which now stand at an alarming ₹27.55 crore. Close behind is the department of home affairs, with an additional ₹12.97 lakh pushing its total to ₹6.11 crore. Meanwhile, the department of school education has also seen its dues inch upward by ₹6.49 lakh, bringing its total to ₹2.03 crore.

Meanwhile, a senior PSPCL official in the central zone, speaking on condition of anonymity, revealed that the Civil Hospital Ludhiana alone owes approximately a substantial ₹6 crore dues till November. He added that while most departments have committed to clearing their dues by the end of March, the delays are causing significant disruptions to PSPCL’s daily operations.

According to the data, some departments have also made positive efforts to reduce their outstanding amounts where seven government departments have collectively paid ₹97.82 lakh, lowering their combined dues from ₹86.40 crore to ₹85.43 crore.

The department of rural development and panchayat led the way by clearing ₹38.35 lakh, followed by the department of water supply and sanitation with ₹25.75 lakh. The department of sewerage board and the department of forest and wildlife contributed ₹19.34 lakh and ₹11.97 lakh, respectively.

Chief Engineer of the Central Zone Jagdev Singh Hans stated, “We consistently write to the departments with outstanding dues, urging them to settle their payments, especially as they provide essential services. Our efforts to recover these defaulted amounts are underway.”