Patna, April 8: The Patna Electric Supply Undertaking (Pesu) has earned Rs 70 crore after the realisation of long-pending electricity dues during the four-month special drive being carried out throughout the state.

Pesu launched the drive as per the Bihar State Electricity Board’s (BSEB’s) initiative to launch a three-month special drive to realise the arrears, check electricity theft since December 1, which was extended up to March.

“We had stepped on the gas to realise the long pending power dues through a four-month drive that has paid off good dividends as we have been able to realise an additional Rs 70 crore as electricity dues, the majority of whom were domestic consumers,” Pesu general manager-cum-chief engineer S.K.P. Singh said.

During the drive, the undertaking disconnected lines, especially of those who had huge and long-pending dues, Singh said. “We ensured that nobody gets their lines restored unless they clear their dues.”

Singh pointed out that the realised amount would have been much more than what has been, had the drive not been affected by severe cold, Holi and other festivals in the period. He said the outsourcing of the job of billing and its distribution also delayed the process to an extent.

“Out of a total of Rs 100 crore electricity arrears, which could be realised, Pesu has been successful in collecting around Rs 70 crore,” the general manager said.

“The state government, particularly urban development department on account of streetlights and Patna University owe a huge sum of money to Pesu,” he said.

He said PU’s electricity dues alone constitute a whopping Rs 90 crore, which has been pending for past seven-eight years. The university administration, whose lines were snapped due to heavy arrears, has deposited Rs one crore in March and has assured that another Rs one crore would be deposited in April.

The general manager said Pesu had been collecting revenue of Rs 35 to 40 crore before the drive on an average. He added the exact dues would be worked out to find the exact amount of arrears.

“The collection has increased substantially during the past four months, which is evident from the fact that the undertaking collected Rs 50.50 crore revenue in December, Rs 44.30 crore in January, Rs 45.50 crore in February and Rs 66.50 crore in March,” Singh said.