Guwahati, Jan. 30: The North Eastern Electric Power Corporation Limited (Neepco) has once again threatened to regulate power supply to state governments of the region for failing to clear their outstanding dues.
A Neepco communiqu? issued by L.A. Kharmawphlang, assistant manager (public relations), said the situation has come to such a pass that the corporation is finding it difficult to run its power stations and continue uninterrupted supply of power. ?We will be compelled to regulate power supply to the defaulting states,? the corporation said.
The total outstanding dues of the northeastern states payable to Neepco till December last year is Rs 1,39,493.11 lakh, of which the Assam State Electricity Board owes Rs 91,296.40 lakh.
Assam power minister Devanand Konwar was not available for comment.
The power stations run by Neepco supplies 50 per cent of total energy required in the region. The Centre had recently introduced a special scheme along with incentives through which the states could clear their outstanding dues. The corporation regretted that most of the states are yet to take up the scheme and continue to default in clearing even their current dues.
Only the Assam State Electricity Board (ASEB) and the power department of Nagaland have initiated action for implementing the scheme. If the state electricity boards wish to settle dues upto September 2001, it would be done in accordance to the rules laid down in the current scheme, the statement said.
Under the scheme, a tripartite agreement involving the Union power ministry, the Reserve Bank of India and the concerned state has to be signed for availing the scheme?s benefits.
?The non-payment of dues has led to a severe financial crunch for the corporation and forced it to take loans at higher interest rates even for meeting the power stations? organisation and management expenses,? the communiqu? said.