SHILLONG, March 11: All India Trinamool Congress (AITC) leader Charles Pyngrope on Friday confronted the state government for levying an additional surcharge of Rs 5.90 on a consumer for using the MeghaPower payment gateway to pay his or her electricity bill generated by Meghalaya Power Distribution Corporation Limited.
“I make all my MePDCL payments online and there is a charge of Rs 5.90 but if you go to any other payment portal like Google Pay, Amazon and others, there is no additional charge. There is a notification from the Reserve Bank of India, which states that payment through an e-gateway cannot have additional charges. Will the MePDCL take it up with the payment gateway desk to stop this?” he said while raising a supplementary question in the Assembly.
In reply, Deputy Chief Minister in charge of the Power department, Prestone Tynsong said a vendor engaged in dealing with the portal is being paid Rs 2.50 for each transfer by the MeECL and the amount is the banking commission charged from a customer.
Pyngrope said people have been paying Rs 5.90 regularly in addition to the amount billed by the MePDCL. “I want them (corporation) to look into why we paying this Rs 5.90 when other portals are not charging anything,” he added.
Tynsong said the MePDCL pays the transaction charges as commission for the payment gateway while the consumer pays the charges levied by his or her bank.
On MeECL generating electricity bills even if no person resides in a house, he said the tariff for domestic consumption includes fixed and energy charges that are billed periodically. The fixed charge is billed at Rs 60 per kilowatt per month, he said in a reply to a question from Mawlai legislator PT Sawkmie. (Contd on P-4)
House glare on online power bill…
(Contd from P-1) NCP chief and Gambegre MLA, Saleng Sangma advised Tynsong to sensitise the public on the fixed and energy charges so that they don’t feel cheated.
The Deputy CM sought to shatter the perception that MeECL has not been generating revenue since 1975. “The corporation and the erstwhile MeSEB have depended on revenue generation to meet expenses,” he said.
Replying to another query on why the MeECL does not charge any fine after the payment due date, he said a delayed payment charge is being levied if payment is not received after the due date.
Citing the MSERC electricity supply code of 2018, he said if the bill inclusive of arrears is not paid in full within the due date a delayed payment charge of 1% on the outstanding amount but exclusive of the government electricity duty will be levied for 30 days or part thereof.
Asked about the loan to cover the capital cost for project implementation and working capital loans for power purchase, Tynsong said the details are not ready and need a notice.
Shella MLA Balajied K Synrem requested the government to take cognisance of the spike in electricity bills in the rural areas. Tynsong admitted that such complaints are received often and field and sub-divisional officers have been directed to ensure meter readers visit the households to check the meters regularly.
East Shillong legislator and suspended CLP leader, Ampareen Lyngdoh asked if the Prime Minister’s free poor scheme also carries the fixed charge. Tynsong said one cannot escape from the fixed and energy charges in course of time.
Nongpoh legislator, Mayralborn Syiem enquired if the state government had any plan to reintroduce the one-time settlement scheme. The power minister said its feasibility would be examined.
Replying to a question from Chokpot MLA Lazarus Sangma, Tynsong said the possibility of regularising the workers of the department in his constituency would be examined.