Special Correspondent
HYDERABAD: Power consumers in the State have been made to shell down a huge monthly sum towards eSeva centres much against an order issued by the AP Electricity Regulatory Commission.
The Commission, as part of the tariff order for 2007-08, directed the four power distribution companies in the State to discontinue the system of eSeva centres clearing the monthly power consumption bills from April 1, 2007. It asked them to activate old revenue collection centres with online connection, to avoid burden on consumers.
The eSeva centres collect Rs 5 for each bill cleared. There are over 250 e-Seva centres in the State now, covering a major chunk of the State’s 1.87 power consumers in towns and cities. The private firms that manage them claim Rs 5 from the distribution companies on every bill clearedrelating to property tax, water cess, etc.
Huge profits
According to a petition filed before the commission, these firms are earning huge profits on electricity bills alone, while their staff, mostly “outsourced” are paid paltry salaries without any Government control. In case of power consumers, the payments made to eSeva centres are shown in the monthly bills indirectly in different forms, say “customer charges”. They petitioned before the APERC that the eSeva system for power bills should be continued at least for the current year for the Rs 2 a bill.
The APERC posted the matter for hearing on September 3.
