The state of Odisha is confronting a severe financial strain as unpaid electricity bills from households and businesses have ballooned to a staggering Rs 6,558.64 crore. This massive accumulation of arrears has forced the state government and power distribution companies to intensify their recovery efforts significantly.
Revealed in Assembly: The Scale of the Dues
The alarming figure was officially disclosed by Deputy Chief Minister Kanak Vardhan Singh Deo in the state assembly. He was responding to an unstarred question raised by MLA Rama Chandra Kadam. In a written reply, Singh Deo confirmed that the total outstanding amount, as reported by the distribution licensees, stands at Rs 6,558.64 crore.
A substantial portion of this debt, amounting to Rs 398.93 crore, is attributed to active industrial and commercial consumers spread across the state's four major power distribution sectors. The breakdown of dues from these active commercial users reveals a concerning picture across the different operational zones.
Division-Wise Breakdown of Commercial Arrears
The distribution companies with the highest outstanding amounts from active commercial consumers are:
- TP North Odisha Distribution Ltd: Rs 229.21 crore
- TP Western Odisha Distribution Ltd: Rs 75.62 crore
- TP Central Odisha Distribution Ltd: Rs 70.52 crore
- TP South Odisha Distribution Ltd: Rs 23.58 crore
Officials stated that detailed, consumer-wise data has already been shared with the government through digital media platforms for further scrutiny and action.
Aggressive Measures to Recover Dues
In response to this mounting crisis, the state's energy department has issued strict directives to all power distribution companies (discoms). They have been ordered to adopt a multi-pronged, aggressive strategy for recovery. The focus is on both persuasion and enforcement to clear the massive backlog.
The key recovery strategies now being implemented include:
- Organizing intensive door-to-door collection drives to reach defaulters directly.
- Setting up special payment camps to facilitate easy clearing of dues.
- Initiating the disconnection of power supply for chronic defaulters after serving them prior notices.
"Consumers who fail to clear bills within the stipulated time are being served notices, and their connections are being disconnected if payments are not made," explained Deputy CM Singh Deo, outlining the strict approach.
To complement these efforts and encourage timely payments, the government has also strengthened online payment facilities. Furthermore, digital literacy campaigns are being rolled out in rural areas through gram panchayats to educate consumers about the ease of digital transactions for bill payments.
Challenges and Future Warnings
Officials admitted that despite repeated attempts, the arrears have continued to pile up. A significant contributing factor identified is the delay in payments by bulk consumers and certain government departments themselves. The energy department has now issued a stern warning that if dues remain unpaid, even stricter enforcement, including potential legal action, may follow.
The massive outstanding amount has raised serious concerns about the financial health of the power distribution companies. There are fears that this could eventually impact the maintenance and upgrade of power supply infrastructure across Odisha. A spokesperson for TPCODL emphasized the urgency, stating, "We are stepping up our collection drive." The race to recover thousands of crores is now a top priority for the state's power sector.
