E-Paper
MSEDCL initiates process for refund of security deposit to Ganesh mandals
Every year, the MSEDCL provides temporary electricity connections to Ganpati mandals at domestic rates for which the MSEDCL takes a security deposit from the concerned Ganpati mandals
PUNE
PUNE: One-hundred and nineteen (119) Ganpati mandals in the Pune Circle have not yet submitted applications for the refund of their security deposit for temporary electricity connections taken in 2022, whereas the Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company Limited (MSEDCL) has so far refunded the security deposit to 62 Ganpati mandals.
Every year, the MSEDCL provides temporary electricity connections to Ganpati mandals at domestic rates for which the MSEDCL takes a security deposit from the concerned Ganpati mandals based on electric load (single, double, three-phase electricity connection).
According to MSEDCL officials, MSEDCL charges roughly ₹6 per unit of electricity consumed by the mandals in addition to a daily fixed charge of up to ₹200. Apart from this, the mandals have to pay the MSEDCL a security deposit of ₹5,000 to ₹10,000. At the end of 10 days of the festival, the mandal’s electricity bill is deducted from its security deposit and the remainder is returned to the mandal. In case the bill amount exceeds the security deposit, the mandal pays MSEDCL the difference.
In the year 2022, 204 Ganesh mandals in Pune, Pimpri-Chinchwad, Mulshi, Maval and Khed got temporary connections from the MSEDCL against security deposits. On August 28, Rajendra Pawar, chief engineer of the Pune Circle of the MSEDCL held a meeting wherein it was decided to refund last year’s security deposit to the mandals.
Nishikant Raut, public relations officer, said, “As per the rules, the Ganesh mandals have to file an online application and mention all the details including bank account; this is mandatory for all Ganesh mandals. Till date, the MSEDCL has received applications from only 37 out of the 204 Ganesh mandals and has sanctioned all the applications. We have transferred a refund amount of ₹32,176 to the 37 Ganesh mandals. However, another 62 Ganesh mandals have not paid ₹467,785 in electrical bills Therefore, the MSEDCL hasn’t refunded the security deposits to these 62 mandals.”
“Till date, we haven’t got online applications from 119 Ganesh mandals for the refund of security deposit. We have calculated an amount of ₹611,862 which is pending. We have started corresponding with the Ganesh mandals and appealed to them to file online applications for the refund of security deposit,” Raut said.
