Rs 6,000 cr recoverable towards power bills under GHMC limits

Recovery of electricity bill dues from various organisations in the limits of GHMC became a huge burden to the Discoms.
According to a conservative estimate, at least Rs 6,000 crore was recoverable towards the dues, including from government bodies. Several government, private, HT and LT consumers are required to clear their electricity bill dues. Out of the Rs 6,000 crore due, the Hyderabad Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board owed more than half of the amount to the Discom.
Though the LT consumers promptly pay their power bills, yet the government organisations are not coming forward to clear the bills. The dues from the government offices have been piling up.
These departments have been postponing the payment of power bills saying that they will pay the bills as and when the government releases the budget to the concerned department.
The HMWSSB is yet to clear the power bill dues to the tune of Rs 3,100 crore. The dues have been increasing along with interest accumulated on the amount since 2018. According to Discom officials, the education department and other departments owed the Discom at least Rs 500-600 crore towards the power bills.
Industries and other HT consumers, because of court litigation, owed the Discom not less than Rs 2,100 crore. Some of the LT consumers would have to clear at least Rs 362 crore towards the bills.
Subsidy on electricity, supplied to various sections of society, is still recoverable from the government.
Out of the nine GHMC circles, the central circle with its headquarters in the Old City of Hyderabad owed Rs 103 crore, followed by Rajendra Nagar Circle, Rs 84 crore.
Pre-paid meters have been fixed as recovery of electricity bills from government departments has become impossible.
In all, 11,000 pre-paid meters have been fixed, yet the purpose has not been served.
The electricity department is forced to supply power to government departments acting under pressure from higher authorities. The state government should order the relevant government departments to pay their electricity bills from time to time. The electricity bill dues, in some cases, have piled up because of the court cases. If one-time settlement is offered, there is scope for the recovery of the bills.
It may be noted that the Discoms borrowed heavily from lending agencies showing the electricity bills recoverable as its revenue.