Imkong Walling
Dimapur | March 27
Revelation of backdoor appointments and a pen down strike by employees have rocked the Nagaland Legislative Assembly Budget Session 2017. Amidst the brouhaha sits the issue of electricity, often ignored at the Assembly, albeit a sector essential to industrial growth and a major aid towards the fruition of the ‘Visions’ of the 2030 document.
While the energy sector has cost the state near about a 1000cr in revenue over the past decade, it in turn also has quite a lot to gain albeit in the form of unrealised bills from consumers.
Records maintained by the Department of Power, Nagaland has revealed that the total accumulated arrears due to the department at present stands at Rs. 102.26cr. Domestic consumers account for the major bulk of the arrears due to the department, the amount presently standing at a staggering Rs. 73.94cr. The amount due from commercial consumers stands at Rs. 19cr.
The Nagaland state government, the administrative entity under which the Power department functions also has dues pending. As per the records, state government departments owe the Power department Rs. 9.31cr as electricity arrear.
The state Home department leads the pack of defaulting departments with an outstanding due of Rs. 5.03cr. Out of this, the police department alone has an accumulated arrear amounting to Rs. 2.91cr, while the respective district administrative machinery has an accumulated arrear amounting Rs. 1.99cr. The Office of the Commissioner, Nagaland has an accumulated arrear amounting to Rs. 11.78 lakhs.
Amongst the other departments, the department of Cooperation leads with a backlog of Rs. 91.93 lakhs. Industries and Commerce follows suit with a due amounting to Rs. 54.35 lakhs.
PHED has Rs. 38.40 lakh as due, while the Medical department follows closely at Rs. 38.14 lakh. Municipal Administration is also not far behind with a due amounting to Rs. 33.75 lakh.
Departments that have dues in the Rs. 10-20 lakh range include - Education department: Rs. 16.10 lakh, Forests: Rs. 18.34 lakh, NST: Rs. 13.37 lakh, PWD: Rs. 10.41 lakh and Technical Education: Rs. 13.44 lakh.
Interestingly, the State Assembly has a running due of Rs. 1.75 lakh, while the Electrical Inspectorate has Rs. 1434 due. Department/Subsidiaries and other entities with nil dues include Information Technology & Communication, New & Renewable Energy, NEPED, Police Engg Project, IT&C, CAWD, Transport & Communication, NSMDC, Vigilance, Raj Bhawan, Council of Ministers and High Court.
