On the orders of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, the National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (NEPRA) and the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) have started an overbilling inquiry. The high-level committee will appoint the Ministry and LASECO management responsible.
According to LESCO sources, the investigation started on the strict notice of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, the decision was made on complaints of overbilling of crores of rupees to protected customers. A report will be sent to the Prime Minister’s Office for action against the officers involved in overbilling.
According to the sources, under the pro rata system, instead of Rs 3 thousand, bills of Rs 8 thousand were sent to the consumers. The pro rata system was approved by the consultant ministry and LESCO management. After inquiry, the extra bills were returned to the customers.
Earlier, Federal Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi ordered FIA to take legal action against government officials and staff who received excessive bills on complaints of overbilling by protected electricity consumers. Said criminal acts cannot be allowed at all.
The Home Minister said that due to the change of category, an additional burden of crores of rupees was imposed on the consumers. The deliberate inclusion of power consumers up to 200 units in a non-protected category is a criminal act, which is not acceptable under any circumstances.
It should be noted that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif yesterday directed action against the officers and officials who artificially add extra units to the bills of electricity consumers.
According to the statement issued from the Prime Minister’s House on Saturday, the Prime Minister has said that such officers and officials who are enemies of the people should be suspended and strict action should be taken. He has directed the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) to investigate to identify such officers and personnel.
Addressing the Energy Minister Owais Leghari in a meeting, the Prime Minister said that it is cruel to take the units of the poorest class from 197 to 204 or 201. Anyone who has raised a single unit above 200 has oppressed the poor. You should immediately suspend them and investigate their actions.
Which electricity consumers are protected, and which are unprotected?
The total number of household electricity consumers across the country is more than 22.28 million, among them are protected consumers who consume up to 200 units of electricity per month, all above that are non-protected consumers, lifeline consumers with one to 100 units per month in the protected category. Are there no increase in their basic tariff and no monthly fuel charges? The tariff for Lifeline users from 1 to 50 units is 3 rupees 95 paise. The bill comes from 2 to 3 hundred rupees. From 51 to 100 units the tariff is 7 rupees 74 paise. The monthly bill stays up to 1 thousand.
If the protected domestic consumers reach 100 to 200 units, then the tariff is Rs 10, monthly and quarterly adjustments together, the bill comes to around Rs 2500 per month. If it goes even one unit above 200, the user will go into the non-protected category and the bill will increase at the speed of a bullet. Ironically, once the protected limit is exceeded, the bill of the customer will be charged at the higher non-protected tariff for 6 months.
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