Unpaid bills: Nagaland legislators just as culpable as general energy consumers

Residential quarters allotted to MLAs had over Rs 32 lakh in dues till Feb 2021

Imkong Walling 
Dimapur | April 18

During the Budget session of the Nagaland Legislative Assembly in February, the energy sector became a subject of discussion. The Chief Minister led the discussion with other members also joining in. Among the many problems plaguing the State’s energy sector, one area of concern pointed out was the tendency to ignore paying energy bills by consumers with impunity, which has contributed to the government exchequer losing thousands of crores in unrealised revenue over the years. 

The CM, citing data, said that the State government had spent almost Rs 860cr in power purchase during 2019-20 and 2020-21. While informing that the purchase cost for 2020-21 was Rs 452cr, he said that the anticipated return for the year was Rs 175cr only. 

While evasion by consumers in general have contributed to mounting collection deficit year after year, to further recall, the CM also urged the government agencies, officials and other VIPs to make a habit of paying utility bills.  

Now, it turns out that the government machinery, including legislators, has been just as culpable as general consumers. 

 

As per information availed via the RTI Act, as many as 27 residential quarters in Kohima allotted to legislators had pending electricity dues till February 2021. The replies, dated April 6, listed the names/designations of the legislators against whom the quarters were allotted. It also turned out that the defaulting quarters were allotted to legislators presently part of the ruling coalition.

 

In the list were the CM’s residential complexes at New Secretariat and Old Minister’s Hill and quarters allotted to the Deputy Chief Minister and 8 other Ministers. The rest were quarters allotted to MLAs/Advisors, including the Advisor for Power. 

The period of default per quarter/consumer ranged from two months to as long as 10 months, with some unpaid since April 2020 till February 2021. 

The electricity bill pending from the CM’s residential complexes was over Rs 12.6 lakhs and the amount pending from the quarters allotted to the Advisor to Power was over Rs 77 thousand.  The amount due from the Deputy CM’s quarters was over Rs 26 thousand. 

As per the RTI figures, the total energy due from the defaulting official quarters amounted to Rs 36,27,293, accumulated varyingly from April 2020-February 2021. 

It could not be ascertained if the dues were cleared in the subsequent months after February. 

As far as the rules go, the Indian electricity guidelines mandate disconnection of supply to consumers defaulting to pay for two consecutive months. A Department of Power, Nagaland (DoPN) official told The Morung Express that, as a norm, 15 days show cause is served to pay up. “If the consumer fails to clear the due during the 15-day period, supply is disconnected,” the official said, while adding that reconnection entails clearing of existing dues and payment of mandatory fees as required of a fresh connection.  

Almost 2000cr revenue loss

Meanwhile, the DoPN’s total revenue collection for 2020-21 even fell short of the anticipated return of Rs 175cr. As per the RTI replies from the DoPN, the total revenue collection for the year was only Rs 172.51cr against a purchase cost of Rs 438.62cr. 

The RTI application also sought year-wise figures of revenue collection against purchase cost. The replies provided figures from 2003-2021. It appears that data predating the year 2003 is not available. 

The purchase cost from 2003-04 to 2020-21 summed up to Rs 3666.06cr at an average of Rs 203cr per year, while the collection was only Rs 1674.39, averaging Rs 93cr a year. The revenue shortfall during the 18-year period came to Rs 1991.67cr.