Staff Correspondent
DIBRUGARH: State Power Minister Bimal Bora has stepped up his plan to revitalize the sagging Assam Power Distribution Corporation Limited (APDCL) to its zenith to ensure smooth and uninterrupted supply of power, accurate billing and timely collection of the pending bills. During his one-month tenure as power minister, Bora's efforts have not only yielded results but also helped in identifying the lacuna and intermittent problems that have posed serious threat to very survival of the department.
In a press meet held here, Bora said, "We considered the power theft by the people in connivance with a section of APDCL employees and officials as one of the major causes for revenue loss of the APDCL." The government is committed to an undisrupted supply of electricity to people on 24X7 basis but it would not be possible unless power theft was checked. Therefore, Bora said, "The prime task of the government is to stop power theft at any cost."
The minister further added that the government would take a tough stand against all those officials who were patronizing power theft. "We have already identified all those officials who are actively associated in patronizing power theft for petty gains and the government has already taken a tough stand to end their evil designs," Bora said. Meanwhile, the minister said that under the State Government's campaign against such power theft, one of the Chief General Managers of APDCL, was suspended.
Bora felicitated all those employees and senior officials of APDCL here for their active participation in rejuvenation process as initiated by the department. "As a part of the campaign against power thefts, the employees of Dibrugarh APDCL have successfully recovered a fine of Rs 1.60 lakh," he said. He added that the power department was facing revenue loss due to various reasons and promised to mend all loopholes in the near future in order to enhance more revenue. Bora told media persons that those consumers who failed to clear their outstanding bill due to technical and other official mismanagement, could clear the bills now on an installment basis.
The Power Minister said, "The government has emphasized special attention towards the collection of revenue because the department needs total renovation for its overall development. If all these efforts are implemented in a proper way, then only the department will see profit," Bora said.
Chief Minister Dr Himanta Biswa Sarma had already directed the revenue department to clear pending electricity bills of all government departments which had failed to clear. "The number of consumers under Central Government's Sobhagya Projects have risen from 43 lakhs to 63 lakhs," the Power Minister revealed .Replying a query the minister said that the process would start soon for filling up all those posts which were vacant in the department.