Pune: "The Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company Limited (MSEDCL), has provided excellent service to its customers during the coronavirus pandemic and also during the Nisarg Cyclone period. Due to lockdown, there is a lukewarm response in electricity bill payment during this period, the financial condition of MSEDCL has been deteriorated. In such a dire situation, the state government will seek funds from the central to provide relief to power consumers, and will soon write a letter to them." said Dr Nitin Raut, Energy minister for Maharashtra state.
Minister Raut, on Monday, has interacted with senior officials of MSEDCL via video conference, from Energy Guest House, Bijli Nagar, Nagpur, with a view to removing the confusion created in the minds of consumers, due to the three months of consolidated electricity bills last week.
He directed MSEDCL to submit a self-contained proposal within two days after studying the electricity tariffs of household electricity consumers, weeks and duration of electricity bills, concessions to customers paying a lumpsum electricity bill, interest on electricity bill installments and other measures that are taken by the state.
"MSEDCL should take steps to ensure that the lockdown does not cause additional hardship to the customers considering their financial situation and how they can be given maximum concessions to pay their electricity bills. At the same time, in order to satisfy the consumers about the bill, the direct interaction with the consumers should be enhanced, the electricity bill should be explained in simple language, effective use of different media and public opinion should also be respected," Minister Raut suggested.
In the meeting which was chaired by Minister Raut and attended by the Principal Secretary (Energy) Dinesh Waghmare from Mumbai, Director (Operations) Dinesh Chandra Sabu, Director (Commerce) Satish Chavan, Director in Charge (Finance) Swati Vyavahare, Executive Director (Payments and Revenue) Yogesh Gadkari and Anil Nagarare of High Power Committee from Nagpur, Anil Khaparde, MSEDCL Regional Director Suhas Rangari, Chief Engineer Dilip Dodke, General Manager Finance and Accounts Sharad Dahedar, Superintendent Engineer Narayan Amjhare along with media personals were present. They also shared their thoughts on the difficulties that their staff faced in this pandemic and at the time of the cyclone.
