KP govt depts’ electricity arrears rise to Rs2.14bn

10% surcharge has been imposed from July

PESHAWAR: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) government departments owe a total of Rs2.14 billion to the Peshawar Electric Supply Company (PESCO) due to non-payment of bills, Profit learnt on Sunday.

According to the sources in the provincial Finance Department, PESCO has notified the government that arrears till July have crossed Rs2.14 billion and are continuously increasing as most departments are unable to pay their bills due to the a financial crisis. In addition to this, these departments will have to deposited a huge fine every month in the form of late payment surcharge.

The authorities concerned have expressed displeasure over the delay in payment of bills by provincial institutions and departments, however, disconnecting electricity connections of government institutions will create another dispute between the provincial and federal governments.

Late payment surcharge was abolished till June, however, a 10% surcharge has been imposed again from July.

The provincial government has warned that if the bills are not submitted on time, the concerned officer will bear the expense of the fine. Therefore, all institutions have been directed to clear their dues immediately to avoid any embarrassment and loss of public funds.
Aziz Buneri
Aziz Buneri
Aziz Buneri covers financial, social, political and regional issues for Pakistan Today and Profit. He can be reached at [email protected]

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