Ten Discos fail to recover Rs632billion electricity bills

ISLAMABAD: Ten distribution companies of the Energy Ministry have failed to recover electricity bills of Rs 632 billion from the consumers that raised circular debt to more than Rs 500 billion.

Power Sector Secretary has submitted a performance report of 10 Disco companies in Public Accounts Committee (PAC).

The report reveals that the government institutions are defaulter of a sum of Rs 105 billion whereas the private institutions owe Rs 527 billion.

In case of non-recovery of Rs 632 billion power companies’ administration says it is feared that the consumers poorest of the poor will be adversely affected because rulers shifted the full burden on the poor segment of the society.

According to the report, the following balances are still outstanding; domestic consumers Rs 260 billion, commercial consumers Rs 18 billion, big industrialists and mill owners Rs 48 billion, farmers’ agricultural tube wells Rs 224 billion, and the government have to pay to the Energy Ministry as a subsidy.

This report showcases Nawaz government based on extreme defectiveness and dishonesty.

The report says that there are such defaulters of Rs 39 billion who denied paying the bills out of which Rs 36 billion have to paid by private institutions.

During the Nawaz Government rule there were Rs 442 billion recoverable. The government failed to recover the dues and this deficit was covered by price hike of electricity. Nawaz government has written off a sum of Rs 24 billion of various consumers which is unprecedented.

PAC has decided to discuss in detail the mediocre performance of Energy Ministry so that a strategy is chalked out to avert a future disaster.

Secretary Naseem Khokhar will brief in detail about nonrecovery of Rs 632 billion from consumers and head of 10 disco companies of the country will take part in the meeting.

Khurshid Shah had said in the last meeting that if a poor man has not paid monthly bill his electricity connection is discontinued while on the other hand, big crocodiles have to recover Rs 632 billion.  This terse picture is proof of poor performance of the government.

The report says LESCO company has to recover Rs 14 billion whereas Rs 10 billion of Lahore consumers were written off and instalments of Rs 1.5 billion were rescheduled.

Gujranwala company has to recover Rs 3.65 billion. FESCO company’s balance recoverable is Rs 3.15 billion. Bills of Rs 2.25 million have been condoned. Rs 5 billion are to be received from the government as subsidy.

IESCO has Rs 2 billion recoverable and bills of Rs 400 million have been condoned and Rs 1.5 billion have to receive a subsidy from the government. The company has to recover Rs 5.30 billion whereas Rs 10 billion has been condoned. Rs 610 million are recoverable as instalments and Rs 7.68 billion are recoverable as a subsidy.

PESCO officials have recoverable Rs 2 billion and Rs 3.30 billion as subsidy and bills of Rs 560 million condoned. Officials have to recover Rs 1.64 billion and subsidy Rs 1.68 billion and Rs 60 million condoned. Rs 1 billion is recoverable and Rs 25 million condoned. KESCO recoverable Rs 2.72 billion and Rs 26 billion subsidies. TESCO recoverable Rs 830 million and Rs 630 million subsidies. Hence 10 companies have to recover Rs 37 billion. Rs 22.44 billion have been condoned, Rs 1.83 billion made instalments and Rs 59 billion recoverable as a subsidy.

Must Read

Bitcoin’s “Faketoshi” faces contempt of court case over $1.2 bln UK...

Craig Wright, an Australian computer scientist who claims to be Bitcoin’s creator, Satoshi Nakamoto, is facing fresh legal trouble in the UK over charges...