Puducherry Lt Governor Kiran Bedi’s initiative to recover arrears from power bill defaulters gets silent applause from Narayanasamy government
Even though the chief minister had stated that he would complain to PM that Bedi was interfering in the administration of UT, he has not uttered a word against the ‘name and shame’ policy.
Published: 28th June 2018 02:53 AM | Last Updated: 28th June 2018 02:53 AM | A+A A-
Puducherry Lieutenant Governor Kiran Bedi | Express Photo
PUDUCHERRY: The ‘name and shame’ policy to recover arrears from power bill defaulters initiated by Puducherry Lt Governor Kiran Bedi seems to have come as a blessing for the cash-starved government here.
The silence of Chief Minister V Narayanasamy and his Cabinet colleagues over Bedi’s latest administrative “interference” points towards the former’s approval of Bedi’s initiative. Even though the chief minister had stated a few days ago that he would complain to Prime Minister Narendra Modi that Bedi was interfering in the day-to-day administration of the UT, he has not uttered a word against the ‘name and shame’ policy.
Sources said the policy has so far managed to recover more than `3 crore from power bill defaulters. Based on Bedi’s instructions, departments like Local Administration and PWD are moving on the same lines to recover dues. Analysts say Bedi is doing exactly the same what the elected government could not do due to votebank politics. If anyone raised complaint against any administrative actions, the government has a clear alibi in Bedi.
The successive governments in the UT could not resort to any harsh measures to recover arrears, fearing electoral setbacks. Puducherry being a small territory, no political party would want to offend voters. Whenever enforcement wings try to recover dues, defaulters apply pressure on an MLA or minister citing their own difficulties and get away without payment. This was evident when Bedi, during her visit to the Electricity Department on Wednesday, asked officials the reason for having continued power supply to defaulters.
Bedi said officials told her that whenever they went for disconnection, they faced resistance and police failed to protect them. “If all pay up their bills in time and enforcement agencies implement the laws without allowing the interference of powerful interests, there will be enough for all and Puducherry will be prosperous,” she said.
Parties wary
Successive governments could not resort to any harsh measures, fearing electoral setbacks. No political party would want to offend voters.
