MSEDCL to levy Rs 855 if power bill cheque bounces

 

 

 

With mounting power bill cheque bounce cases, Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company Limited (MSEDCL) has decided to levy Rs 855 as penal charges in the bills of defaulters from the next month. In Nagpur Circle alone, on an average cheques of 1,000 consumers get dishonoured every month. Further, the state-run power distribution company has appealed to the consumers to make use of on-line payment mode as it is hassle-free and avoid paying hefty penal charges that also include GST. As per the statistics, about 4.51 lakh consumers still use cheques for paying bills every month in Maharashtra. Maximum cheque payment is done in Pune Circle which is about 1.08 lakh, Bhandup Circle -- 1.04 lakh, Kalyan Circle -- 73,000, Nasik/Kolhapur/ Baramati/ Nagpur Circles -- between 24,000 and 29,000 consumers are using cheque facility for monthly bill payment.

 

Of these, about 10,500 cheques get dishonoured per month due to lack of sufficient funds in bank accounts of the consumers. The maximum default is again in Pune -- 1,750, Kalyan -- 1,700, Bhandup -- 1,500, Nagpur -- 1,100, Baramati -- 900 and at other centers between 70 and 800. Taking a grim view of misuse of the facility by the consumer, MSEDCL has decided to impose bank administration charges of Rs 750 plus 18 per cent GST that is Rs 135 (total Rs 885) so that it can act as deterrent and reduce default on power bills. As per prevalent banking rules, if multiple electricity bills are paid by a single cheque that has been dishonoured, a penalty amount is levied for each of the electricity bill. In addition, the facility of paying electricity bill by cheque is suspended for six months.

 

The cheques are dishonoured due to wrong date, mistake, wrong signature, wrong name, lack of relevant amount etc. It usually takes three to five days for a cheque to be cleared, although the receipt for payment of electricity bill is received the same day after the cheque is issued, the payment of electricity bill is considered valid on the date of receipt of the cheque amount. Therefore, the amount of the cheque is issued one or two days before the due date is credited after the due date, resulting in arrears in the next electricity bill. MSEDCL’s website www.mahadiscom.in as well as MSEDCL mobile app has made it possible for LT consumers to view current and past electricity bills and pay them on-line. The service is available for multiple connections of one’s own from a single account. Also, if payment is made through credit card, debit card, UPI, Bhim, internet banking, mobile wallet, mobile banking, a discount of 0.25 per cent (within the limit of Rs 500) is being given.

 

With the exception of credit cards, all on-line payments are free. In addition, if the electricity bill of low pressure industrial, commercial and household or society consumers is more than Rs 10,000, they can pay their electricity bill directly through RTGS or NEFT. For this, the bank account details of MSEDCL are also being given on the electricity bills of these customers. MSEDCL has appealed to the consumers to pay their electricity bills on-line instead of cheques.