Islamabad   - The government Friday set 100 % recovery targets for current electricity billing cycle and tasked six Discos with the recovery of extra Rs83.2 billion old receivables for fiscal 2018-19.

The decision was taken in a meeting chaired by Federal Minister for Power Division, Omer Ayub Khan. The meeting was attended by Federal Secretary Power Division Irfan Ali, officials of PEPCO, CEOs of DISCOs concerned and other officials of Power Division attended the meeting.

The meeting decided to freeze the figures of old receivables as on 31.10.2018 with targets to achieve 100% recovery of current billings besides reducing the line losses as per the goals set by NEPRA.

The meeting assigned the task of recovery  of old receivables for Financial Year 2018-19 to six Distribution Companies has set targets to bring extra Rs.83.2 billion till June 2019 for betterment of liquidity of power sector.

Omer Ayub Khan further directed the CEOs to eliminate theft and illegal hooking of electricity and take strict action against those involved in it with the help Provincial Task Force established in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The meeting assigned specific targets to Discos and asked  Lesco to  ensure extra recoveries of Rs25 billion in addition to current billing upto June 2019 by measures of recovery of old outstanding bills and reducing line losses upto 1%. Fesco will undertake extra Rs.2 billion recoveries in addition to current billing upto June 2019 and it will also reduce its line losses by 1%. Gepco will ensure extra recovery of Rs.t3 billion and reduce line losses upto 1%. Iesco will also ensure extra Rs.2billion recoveries by recovery of old receivables and bringing the line losses at NEPRA targets of 8.65. Mepco to ensure extra recovery of Rs.10.2 billion by reducing the line losses to Nepra target of 15% and recovery of old receivables. Pesco targets for extra recovery above current billing were set to Rs.41billion by reducing the line losses to 4% and recovery of old receivables.

Pesco will also ensure removal of hooks (Kunda) within a time frame of 2 months and concerned SDO, XEN and SE shall be held responsible for this. CEO PESCO will launch awareness campaign to educate the consumers that their wrong bills will be corrected and meters will be installed instantly after payment of dues which will also lead to reduction of load management hours in their areas.

Federal Minister for Power also directed that no overbilling or unfair mean will be adopted for achieving these targets and in this regard the Joint Secretary Power Finance, Power Division and PEPCO will form a comprehensive monitoring mechanism. The minister directed all the CEOs shall personally supervise the drive against theft and shall meet the district administration in this regard.