Steps to pay pending power bills through net banking initiated
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, March 31 2019:
The power company of the State is reportedly facing huge inconveniences due to huge bills owed by various Departments of the State Government.
According to a reliable source, the total amount owed by the Department of the State till December 31 last year, is Rs 92.35 crore.
The Manipur State Power Distribution Corporation Limited (MSPDCL) has repeatedly sent necessary letters to the Departments concerned to pay off the pending bills, sometimes, even threatening to stop electricity supply if the pending bills are not paid off.
However, till date, the pending bills have not been paid by the Departments which has created immense difficulties for the power company in buying power from outside the State for every month as well as in other processes.
The source explained that despite such odds, most of the Departments fail to pay off their pending bills mostly due to low annual budgets sanctioned for the Departments.
The Power Department is even planning to recover the pending amounts from the respective Departments from their source.
But even still, there are some Department which do pay up their pending power bills.
The source continued that the pending power bills not just include the Government Department but the consumers as well (those who failed to pay pending bills before the implementation of prepaid meter systems).
The Power Department utilises a system where a small amount is deducted from such consumers whenever they pay for their monthly prepaid recharge.
However, such small recovering of the owed bills is not sufficient to clear all the pending bills within a small amount of time, the source added.
The source continued that MSPDCL has now taken up steps to enable the said consumers to pay off their pending bills through internet banking.
This will make it easier for the people to clear off their pending bills and the Department is also trying to implement a franchise system to ensure the people residing in remote areas off the hills and the valley can pay off their bills easily, the source added.