Odisha '5T shock': Schools, students bearing brunt of pending electricity bills, says Energy Minister

Electricity bills of 5T schools are pending and the students are paying the price, said Energy Minister KV Singh Deo in Odisha Assembly on Wednesday.

While responding to questions by Jajpur BJD MLA Sujata Sahu and Deogarh MLA Romanch Biswal, the Energy Minister said that there was no such department in the name of 5T and budgetary provision.

As schools came up under the 5T, the students are now paying the price. Not only this, panchayats are also struggling to pay the electricity bills, said the Minister.

“It is 5T shock as such questions are now cropping up. The Odisha government is now providing Rs 105 crore to panchayats to clear their outstanding electricity bills. But they have to clear the current bills; if schools are yet to clear their bills, they can approach Tata Power for deferred payment. They can also approach the concerned education department minister for a discussion on the matter,” the Minister added.

Earlier, MLA Sujata Sahu had asked question about a 5T transformation school which is incurring an electricity bill of over Rs 3000 plus and it has now pending dues of around Rs 80000.

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