Odisha's Energy Tussle: Unpaid Electricity Dues Under Scrutiny

Odisha's Deputy Chief Minister, Kanak Vardhan Singh Deo, urged the Energy department to recover outstanding electricity dues from industries. Delayed due to legal challenges, these dues total over Rs 1,096 crore. Singh Deo called for expedited resolution through legal consultations to address the arrears issue.

Odisha's Deputy Chief Minister, Kanak Vardhan Singh Deo, has called upon the Energy department to address the issue of unpaid electricity dues from industrial units. Singh Deo issued this directive during a review meeting held to discuss the arrears linked to electricity duties owed by industries operating within the state.

The meeting shed light on how ongoing legal disputes, particularly cases pending in the High Court of Orissa, are obstructing the collection of overdue electricity duties. These legal challenges pertain to claims for exemptions from electricity charges.

Singh Deo instructed officials to collaborate with the Advocate General Odisha and the department's advisor to speed up the legal proceedings. Data presented at the latest Odisha Assembly session revealed that 23 industries owe electricity dues amounting to Rs 1,096.32 crore as of October.

(With inputs from agencies.)