In what could be termed as a major recovery drive as well as a relief to millions of agricultural consumers, the state government has announced a special scheme for the recovery of huge dues of the billing of the agricultural pumps.
In what could be termed as a major recovery drive as well as a relief to millions of agricultural consumers, the state government has announced a special scheme for the recovery of huge dues of the billing of the agricultural pumps.
Under the scheme, the Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company Ltd (MSEDCL) has offered to waive off the entire interest on dues as well as the penalty levied on the bills for almost 22 lakh agricultural consumers throughout the state.
The MSEDCL, which is the distribution arm of the State Electricity Board, has a total outstanding amount that is close to Rs10,000 crore from its consumers. While the outstanding amount from the agricultural consumers (mainly users of agricultural pumps for farming) alone stands at a whopping Rs5,900 crore.
According to MSEDCL managing director Ajoy Mehta, the “Krishi Sanjivani” scheme announced by finance minister Ajit Pawar during the budget will be applicable for all those farmers who have not paid outstanding amount as well as the fine.
“The basic outstanding amount is Rs2,900 crore, while the fine and interest on the outstanding bills is close to Rs3,000 crore. As per the scheme, farmers who have an outstanding bill up to December 2010, will have to pay just the outstanding bills and interest and fine will be waived off. This scheme will be applicable between April 1 and June 30 this year,” said Mehta.
The distribution company has also decided that consumers who do not pay in spite of the amnesty scheme by June 30, will be given another chance to pay by December 31, 2011. “However, for those failing to pay their basic dues by June 30, an interest will be levied at 12% per annum. MSEDCL has issued directives to all its zone offices to send the detailed outstanding bills to all its agricultural consumers. “We want maximum number of farmers to avail this amnesty facility. That is why we have asked all our officials at each level to take maximum efforts to spread awareness about the scheme,” said Mehta.
Out of the 30 lakh agricultural farmers in the state, apart from 4-5 lakh agricultural consumers in Western Maharashtra, most are defaulters, according to officials. “Although we will be loosing out a considerable amount of Rs3,000 crore, through fine and interest on outstanding, the greener side is that we are wiping out a major portion of our total outstanding — which is close to Rs10,000 crore. This scheme will also be looked as an initiative which brings in more punctuality in agricultural consumers while paying their monthly electricity bills,” said a senior MSEDCL official.
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