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PSPCL waives off arrears worth ₹350 crore in Ludhiana
The government will pay PSPCL arrears till September but consumers will have to pay arrears, if any, from October; in Ludhiana arrears amounting to ₹350 crore are due
In a major relief for electricity consumers in the district, the Punjab State Power Corporation Limited on Wednesday waived off arrears worth ₹350 crore at the behest of Punjab chief minister Charanjit Singh Channi.
The CM said that the state government will pay the outstanding amount (around ₹1,200 crore) to the Punjab electricity board. The government will pay arrears till September but consumers will have to pay arrears, if any, from October.
Meanwhile, a few PSPCL officials have expresses their reservations regarding the move, which comes close to the assembly elections.
A senior PSPCL official said, “We already had written directions to not disconnect the electricity meters of economically weaker section, even if they are unable to pay their arrears. The due amount is mentioned each time they get the bill, but we don’t disconnect their meters. Those who can pay the outstanding amount should not have been exempted.”
Another PSPCL official said, “Bill payments up to 250 units for Scheduled Caste and Backward Classes were already exempted. This move will send out a wrong message to electricity consumers that they can continue to not pay their pending bills near elections. Those who paid the bills will feel foolish.”
“A few government departments and even those in power have not paid their dues to the PSPCL. Now, that the chief minister has claimed that the government would pay the outstanding amount for the consumers, it will be interesting to see when they fulfil the promise as the government usually claims that it is short of finances, but during elections they make such promises and the burden falls on the general tax payers,” the official added.
