SATISH HANDA
Haryana Vidyut Prasaran Nigam (HVPN) power supply company in the state suffered revenue loss worth Rs 28329 crore in past five years due to power thefts, technical losses, commercial loss and non collection of electricity bills from the consumers in the state in both NHVPN and SHVPN also known as aggregate technical and commercial (AT and C) loss. State government is trying its best to reduce such losses since past few years taking stern action against consumers involved in irregularities and violations, especially power thefts since after the year 2016 as such power supply companies incurring losses since past about 15 years have now started getting profits since past two years. These companies were able to earn profit worth Rs 412 crore during the year 2017-18 and Rs 280 crore during the year 2018-19, besides amount worth Rs 606 crore towards subsidy amount have yet to be received from the government. The concerned bureaucrats of the department expect handsome profits during current year 2019-20.
Information reveals that electric supply companies in few states in the country including Gujarat, Karnatka and Uttrakhand are earning handsome profits and Haryana would now be the latest in the list of profit giving states. According to state government bureaucrats, electricity companies may be in a position to earn profit in case of improvement in the system billing and collection of power tariff from the consumers and HVPN would strict in this regard in future, disconnect power connection if bills not paid timely. They told that FIRs would be registered with the police in case of power thefts. They further told media persons that NHVPN has witnessed growth in collection of bills against power supply from 67 to 80% and SHVPN witnessed growth in this regard from 74 to 85% in past two years with an average growth nearly 83% as compared to 71% in past. Minister for electricity department Ranjit Chautala soon after taking charge conducted few surprise raids in the state himself during night hours and during a raid at power production plant Panipat caught red handed several employees of electricity department including senior officers involved in power thefts and fined them heavily.
According to senior officers of electricity department in the state, in case line losses and power thefts are reduced both infrastructure as well as economic condition of the department would strengthen. According to information, such losses during the year 2014-15 were 29.98% of value worth Rs 6895.4 crore, which increased to 30.02% of value worth Rs 6904.6 crore in 2015-16. However, losses started reducing from year 2016-17 when loss to power supply department dropped to 20.29% of value worth Rs 4667.7 crore in the year 2017-18, which further reduced to 17.45% (value Rs 4013.5 crore) in the year 2018-19 and likely to be decreased to 16.25% (value Rs 3737.5 crore) during current year 2019-20.
