BSEB intiative to prevent power theft

PATNA:Â Bihar State Electricity Board (BSEB) has geared up to check power theft in the state, which causes enormous financial loss to the board.

“We are all set to launch a drive for cent per cent meter connection in households in order to minimize power theft,” BSEB chairmanÂ P K Rai told reporters here on Thursday.

“BSEB has issued guidelines to all the officials concerned to ensure that meter connection is given to every consumer who applies for it within 30 days,” Rai said. It will be introduced from March.

BSEB chairman said: “A total of 70,000 meters have already been procured to ensure availability of meters. Another lot of meters numbering about 2.5 lakh are likely to reach here.”

Rai said: “About 30% consumers use electricity without proper meter connection. To streamline the system of meter reading, the BSEB has outsourced the job of meter reading to a private agency. The agency will start its work in March.

“In the wake of haphazard system of distribution of electricity bills, we have outsourced the job to a private organization. It is already working on it,” Rai said.

In order to generate more revenue, Rai said: “BESB has also allowed partial and advanced payment of energy bills to facilitate collection of funds.”

To smoothen revenue collection further, BSEB is considering the system of online payment of bills. “The system will be in force within a period of six months,” he said.

BSEB has decided to substantially increase the number of bill collection centres across the state, particularly in rural areas.

Bihar’s principal secretary, energy,Â Ravi Kant, spoke on various proposals to improve energy supply. “Several loopholes have been found in the implementation ofÂ Rajiv Gandhi Rural Electrification Scheme,” he said.

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