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PDD recovers only Rs 20,000 cr power tariff against purchase of Rs 40,000 cr

Ishtiyaq Ahmad
Early Times Report
srinagar, Nov 14: There has been 50 percent revenue generation gap of electricity as Power Development Department has been failing to recover power tariff from big defaulters in Jammu and Kashmir.
For the last 10 years, Jammu and Kashmir government has purchased power for Rs 40,000 crore from various power generation corporations. However, it has recovered less than Rs 20,000 crore tariff from consumers.
As per official figures, during 2011-12, Rs 3761.52 crore was spent on power purchases. In 2012-13, expenditure on power purchases was Rs 4103 crore.
During 2017-18, 2018-19, each year over Rs 6000 crore was spent on power purchase.
However, PDD has recovered only 50 percent electricity tariff from consumers over the years.
The government had set target Rs 3700 crore as power tariff during 2015-2016 but recovered only Rs 1900 crore from the consumers. During 2017-18, 2018-19, the department realised Rs 2000 crore and Rs 2600 crore against target of Rs 4000 crore and Rs 5300 crore, respectively. The PDD as per the officials has projected that it would be able to recover power tariff of Rs 3000.96 crore against the target of Rs 6000 crore in the current fiscal.
An official of PDD said government was not able to recover tariff from big electricity defaulters.
"Government departments are biggest power defaulters in Jammu and Kashmir owing which we are not able to meet 100 % target recovery of power tariff," the official said.
The PDD has been issuing notices to domestic consumers whose pending dues are even less than Rs 5000.
To the contrary, the PDD has failed to recover Rs 1000 crore electricity charges from government departments.
Among the departments, Irrigation and Flood Control Department and Public Health Engineering Department owe Rs 300 crore electricity charges to the PDD.
"Power pilferage is another reason for revenue realization gap. There are some consumers who have agreement of 1 kilowatt and pay around Rs 700 but use electricity for Rs 1500," the official said.
To reduce the revenue generation gap, the PDD has also decided to expedite the installation of metering process and has set up the 2021 deadline for its completion.
A senior official admitted that there is increase in gap of revenue realization. "Power pilferage is one of the main reasons for revenue generation gap. We are working to ensure consumers use electricity judiciously," he added.