PANJIM: With over Rs 240 crore power dues still pending, the State government on Monday again extended the One-Time Settlement (OTS) scheme by a month, till February 28. The scheme, which has been extended for the second time in the last two months, now offers two installment options, as against the earlier six, to the defaulting 1.06 lakh consumers to clear their dues.
To recover the outstanding power dues amounting to Rs 413 crore, the government had in December 2020, introduced the OTS scheme for defaulting consumers with partial or full waiver on delayed payment charges. Around Rs 92 crore, delayed payments, pending for the last three to four decades, would be waived off in the process.
Addressing media persons on Monday, Power Minister Nilesh Cabral announced the extension of the scheme till February 28, to recover the pending Rs 240 crore due from over 1.06 lakh defaulting consumers.
Stating that this would be the final extension, Cabral said that the Electricity Department has so far managed to recover Rs 170 crore from over one lakh consumers, who had defaulted in payment for the last three to four decades. He also said that over 15,000 power connections have been discontinued so far.
He said that the Industrial Development Corporation (IDC) is among the defaulting consumers and notice has been issued to them to clear the dues.
The Minister said that as against the earlier option of six installments, granted to the consumers to clear dues to waiver on delayed payment charges ranging between 20 per cent to 100 per cent, the consumers will now have only two installment options.
“Those making the application under the OTS scheme now, that is from February 1, will have to make the first installment on the day of application and clear the balance payment in the second installment. The waiver on delay payment will be granted accordingly,” he said.
Cabral pointed out that there are a few consumers, who failed to make the payment after the first installment. “In such cases, we grant them the option of one more single installment to clear the entire amount with 100 per cent waiver on delayed charges,” he said.
He added that for defaulting consumers, the department has adopted a change in the billing pattern, wherein they will have no option of payment due date. “The consumers will have to pay their bills, the moment they are generated and received by them, failing which their connections will be discontinued,” he said.
Cabral also said that directions have been issued to the department to convert all the temporary disconnection cases into permanent cases and to initiate revenue recovery cases against the existing permanent disconnection.
