Pune: Over the past six months, 16,141 cheques worth Rs 41.89 crore provided by low-pressure electricity consumers in Western Maharashtra bounced due to various errors, incurring consumers additional charges of Rs 1.21 crore and a late fee of 1.25%.

Pune district recorded the highest number of such incidents, with 12,543 cheques resulting in Rs 94.07 lakh in fees. Similar cases were observed in Satara, Solapur, Kolhapur, and Sangli, according to the Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company Limited (MSEDCL).

In response to these incidents, MSEDCL is encouraging consumers to opt for online payments instead of cheques to avoid penalty fees.

Currently, a wide array of online payment options such as credit cards, debit cards, UPI, BHIM, internet banking, and mobile wallets are available.

Consumers paying via these options receive a discount of 0.25% (up to Rs 500) on each bill. ECS, NEFT, and RTGS payment options are also available for payments above Rs 5,000.

Pune Regional Director Bhujang Khandare highlighted that online transactions are more efficient and allow consumers to avoid cheque-related issues.

Currently, 79% of low-pressure consumers across Western Maharashtra utilize online payments, accounting for a monthly average of Rs 1,195.70 crore.

With a steady increase in bounced cheques each month, MSEDCL continues to urge customers to leverage online payment options to ensure seamless transactions and avoid penalties.

Recently, a significant number of long-pending cases concerning overdue electricity bills from Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company Limited (MSEDCL) were resolved in National Lok Adalat held in Pune.

A total of 676 cases, with dues amounting to ₹2.16 crore, were settled during the Lok Adalat. Among these, six cases related to electricity theft were also resolved, marking a successful outcome for the utility company.