Maharashtra government ropes in MLAs to get agricultural pump dues of Rs 23,000 crore

Mumbai: Aiming to reduce the burden of outstanding bills of Rs 23,000 crore due from agriculture pumps and worried about the low recovery rate, the Maharashtra government has asked all state Members of Legislative Assembly (MLA) to help in the recovery of the dues in their constituencies. Energy minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule has appealed to all the MLAs to help the government get back the money.

The state’s move has begun eliciting a response from the legislators in some areas, sources said. “It has always remained an issue of recovery of bills from agriculture pumps in Maharashtra. So, the minister has come up with this innovative idea of roping in MLAs to recover the bill,” said Vishwas Pathak, director, Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company Limited.

He added, “Basically, MLAs are in touch with the ground reality in their constituencies and can bring an awareness among the people over paying the bills. We have received response to the appeal from western Maharashtra and Vidarbha areas, where recovery is improving.”

To a query on how much the recovery has increased, Mr Pathak said the MSEDCL is getting the details. “We are collecting figures from all areas” he said.