ONGOLE: Even as the financial year 2020-21 has ended, Andhra Pradesh Central Power Distribution Company Ltd (APCPDCL) is yet to receive pending electricity bills to the tune of Rs 310 crore from various government institutions in Prakasam district.
As per the official information, village panchayats still owe the discom Rs 159.79 crore. Similarly, Panchayat Raj and Rural Development has to clear a power bill amount of Rs 69.43 crore, Water Resources Rs 22.63 crore, all municipalities Rs 16.71 crore, Revenue Rs 13.74 crore, Medical and Health department Rs 5.59 crore and Education department Rs 2.51 crore.
These amounts had been accumulating for years and now have become a burden on the departments as well as the discom. As such, the APCPDCL has reportedly decided to collect the power dues within a week, and issued notices to the government offices warning them of disconnecting their power supply if the dues are not cleared.
"We have already written to heads of government departments seeking clearance of the pending power bills. The state government has ordered the village panchayats to pay their dues from the 14th and 15th Finance Commission funds. They had previously paid Rs 60 crore. The officials concerned have issued notices to the defaulters, and if they fail in paying their dues within a week's time their electricity supply will be cut," KVG Satyanarayana, APCPDCL (Ongole Circle) SE told The New Indian Express on Friday.
The discoms primarily depend on payment received from spot billing charges to pay the generators. Not only government offices, but also local bodies of Chirala, Kandukur, Markapur, Chimakurthy, Addanki, Kanigiri, Giddalur and Darsi owe the discom a huge amount.