Achieve power revenue targets or failures would be marked in service books: PDD to officials

Tahir Mushtaq

JAMMU, July 11: Going tough on its employees engaged in the revenue collection, government has asked the Power Development Department (PDD) officials to submit monthly progress report of their target realization or their failures would be marked in their service books.

Sources said that Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has directed the respective department to ensure that target of Rs 1600 crore set by the government for this year is achieved otherwise Jammu and Kashmir may face the wrath of the central government in next fiscal.

Sources also said that with the power purchase bill this fiscal has crossed Rs 25,000 crore in Jammu and Kashmir and department failing to achieve its targets every year, government has asked the department to go tough on the officials who are non-performers in realizing the revenue from their divisions and zones.

It is important to mention here that recently, Finance Minister Abdul Rahim Rather had headed a review meeting and conveyed displeasure with the low level of revenue realization in the past and had asked the department to get tough on the corruption.

“PDD officials at zonal and division level have the responsibility of collecting the revenue and achieve the targets. Now no lethargic attitude will be tolerated and they would have to explain in case why targets are not met”, said Finance Minister Abdul Rahim Rather.

It is an open fact now that the electricity purchase bill this fiscal is likely to cross 25,000 crore mark, a huge amount for the state which have very few sources to initiate development works. So far state government is forced to divert some of the plan funds from other sources to meet the rising energy demand.

“Though we have somewhat improved the collection in past few years, but still there is deficit. Target collection will have direct impact their service book. Whatever is their duty they have to perform”, said a source.

In 2008, PDD was able to collect just Rs 733 crore, while the target was Rs 1,031 crore. 

In 2009 the total recovery was Rs 900 crore while the target was Rs 1500 crore. The big headache for the department is the Rs 28 crore to be recovered from the government departments.

Every year PDD has the target of nearly Rs 1500 crore as revenue, but they are able to recover just Rs 600 to Rs 800 crore annually, due to which state had to face the wrath of the Union Power Ministry, which has warned the J&K from time to time, to improve its revenue collection.

Power sector is a major headache for the J&K, while its use is increasing every year, but state had to divert crores to keep the power supply stable. Another worry is the higher Transmission and Distribution losses, which has reached nearly 72 per cent from 40 per cent just five years ago.

When contacted Minister of State, PDD Shabir Ahmed Khan said that the 
department will take action against the officials if they failed to achieved the target on time.

“We have directed all the officials to realize their targets on time or face the music of the tough measures which may include transfer or other administrative measures”, he said. 

He further said that a meeting of Jammu province will also be held to fix the targets for the officials soon.