The electricity distributors in Rajnandgaon have started to receive a lot of criticism, as allegations for double standards have surfaced. If we take a look at the ordinary customers, they face power shortages on frequent intervals but the government departments are having unpaid bills of 26 crore rupees.
Even though repeated notices and warnings have been sent, but they have been ignored. This has also raised concerns on accountability and enforcement. According to the electricity department in Rajnandgaon, a total of 50 government departments have accumulated bills which have not been paid for several years. The officials have confirmed that the notices have been actively received but there is still no response on them.
Some even argue that when such things happen to residential individuals or small businesses, strict actions are instantly taken on them. But when it comes to the government departments, it gets ignored for a long time to still remain hnpaid. The biggest debtor to the electricity distributor remains the Rajnandgaon Municipal Corporation, which solely owns 13 crore rupees in terms of unpaid electricity bills.
The other departments which are having a due remain Rural Development Department, which owes approximately 6.55 crore rupees, the Police Department with dues of approximately ₹27 lakh, and the Tribal Welfare Department with pending bills exceeding ₹19 lakh. These dues have risen from 21 crore rupees in the last year to 26 crore rupees this year.