Cabinet increases reward money for recovery from power pilferers

The federal cabinet has increased reward money for recovery from electricity thieves and defaulters

The cabinet approved the decisions of the energy committee. The bonus amount for recovery from defaulters has been increased from 5 per cent to 30 per cent.

Incentives for Disco staff, civil administration, police and law enforcement agencies have been offered.

The minimum recovery rate for detecting electricity theft has been increased to 80% instead of 100%.

Moreover, intelligence agency officers are part of the Disco support unit.

The coalition government has been under fire for failure to curb power pilferage since it came into power after the February election.

Power pilferage is the main reason behind corruption and irregularities in the sector that has been shifting the burden on the common persons.

A couple of months ago, the interior minister said the government is taking concrete steps to curb power theft and overbilling in power distribution companies.

Addressing a news conference in Lahore, he said the overbilling of 830 million electricity units was detected in Lahore Electric Supply Company only.

The Interior Minister said these units were overbilled to government offices, industry and the common persons.

Mohsin Naqvi said the prime minister has assured full support to the FIA in campaign against overbilling.

He said the FIA's campaign against overbilling will not stop until the issue is resolved. Mohsin Naqvi said that FIA and Power Ministry will launch a campaign against power theft in Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.