–CM says DISCOs collect tax on govt’s behalf
KARACHI: Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah directed the Energy Department to evolve a mechanism for direct deposition of the electricity duty in the provincial government account, as power distribution companies were not transferring the amount albeit they collect duty on behalf of the Sindh government.
He said this while presiding over a meeting regarding payment of the electricity bills to Power Distribution Companies (DISCOS).
The meeting was attended by Energy Minister Imtiaz Shaikh, Advisor to CM Murtaza Wahab, Chief Secretary Mumtaz Shah, Principal Secretary to CM Sajid Jamal Abro, Finance Secretary Najam Shah, Energy Secretary Musadiq Khan and other concerned officers.
The chief minister said that the DISCOS, such as K-E, HESCO and SEPCO, were collecting the duty from domestic and commercial consumers at the rate of 1.5 per cent and 2 per cent, respectively, but the amount was not being returned to the provincial government.
He said that according to a rough estimate around Rs3 billion in electricity duty was being collected by the K-Electric annually.
He directed the energy minister to constitute a committee under the supervision of the secretary to reconcile the figures for electricity duty with DISCOs and directed them to deposit the amount in Sindh government account.
He also directed the minister energy to meet with the State Bank governor and get a system evolved under which payment of the electricity duty, paid through electricity bills, may be deposited directly in the provincial government’s account.
Payment of Power bills
The chief minister was told that there was an electricity bill of KMC of Rs580 million which the provincial government has to pay. The chief minister directed the minister to get the bill reconciled first and then pay in instalments.
Murad Ali Shah said that all the electricity bills of K-E pertaining to all departments, KWSB, autonomous and semi-autonomous organisations, DMCS, local bodies and all other officers should be rigorously reconciled by energy department and thereafter should be paid.