Debt-ridden Meghalaya Energy Corporation Limited (MeECL) is caught in a new crisis. It has to pay for the helicopter bill of cabinet minister James Sangma which costs a whopping Rs 20.82 lakh.
According to a letter issued by D D Shira, Joint Secretary, Power Department to the Director, Meghalaya Power Distribution Corporation Limited (MePDCL) on May 31, the total amount of helicopter bill of Sangma is Rs 20,82,208. It may be noted that MePDCL is a subsidiary of MeECL.
The letter stated that the helicopter bill was for “official tour” of Sangma when he was the Power Minister.
Further, the letter also asked the Director, MePDCL to indicate the head of account including the availability of funds for payment of the minister’s helicopter bill.
What is more interesting is that the letter asked the MePDCL that in case that there is no fund under its head of account, it should locate savings “from any other head” so as to enable the Power Department to clear the helicopter bill.
However, questions are being raised as to why such a huge amount was required to be spent for the helicopter bill of the former Power Minister and from where the MePDCL will locate the fund to pay the bill given its current financial constraints.
“Where did he visit by helicopter? Even if he has to travel to Garo Hills, Sangma could have used road travel as anybody is doing,” an employee of MeECL said.
It may be mentioned that MePDCL is already debt-ridden and on the verge of becoming a Non-Performing Asset (NPA). It has taken loans amounting to Rs 1345.72 crore from the Government of India under Atma Nirbhar scheme for power distribution companies in distress. For this, MePDCL has to pay monthly interest of around Rs 10.65 crore.
Last year, the Power Ministry has expressed concern over the inability of MePDCL to clear the dues of various central power generation companies for purchase of power even though the loan of Rs 1345.72 core has been sanctioned for the purpose.
