Power Dept: Expense outweighs revenue
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, May 19 2014 :
Even though Power Department has been purchasing power for Rs 18 crore every month, tax collected in return remains quite dismal.
As such, the State Government runs into Rs 100 crore deficit annually in purchasing power.
Chief Minister O Ibobi, in his third consecutive term, took charge of Power Department and converted the department into a corporation following which two separate companies, one for distribution and another for transmission were set up with a view to improve power situation in the State.
In spite of all these initiatives, tax collection has not improved to the desired level, informed a source.
At the beginning of the current financial year, the Government of Manipur purchased 20 MW from Paltana Power Plant which entailed monthly expenditure of Rs 18 crore.
Whereas the department spent a little over Rs 200 crore in purchasing power in a year, the department could collect only around Rs 100 crore as electricity bill.
As such, the Government is running into a deficit of Rs 100 crore annually.
With a view to collect outstanding power bills indebted to customers, the distribution company has launched an incentive scheme, informed the source.
Meanwhile it is reported that the construction of 400 KV power line from Jiribam to Imphal is likely to be completed within this year.
Once this power line is commissioned, the State would receive another 25 MW power from Paltana Power Plant for which the State Government has already made the necessary deal, added the source.