DH NEWS SERVICE
jammu, Apr 3
Senior BJP leader and former Health Minister Bali Bhagat today launched a scathing attack on the government led by Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, who also holds the Power portfolio, over mounting electricity dues and what he termed as a “blatantly discriminatory and anti-people recovery regime.”
In a statement issued here, Bhagat said that while common citizens across Jammu and Kashmir are being subjected to harsh penalties, repeated notices, and even disconnections for minor delays in bill payments, the government’s own departments have accumulated electricity dues running into thousands of crores, reportedly in the range of ?3000–?4000 crore, without any visible enforcement or accountability.
He pointed out that as per disclosures and concerns raised in the J&K Assembly, major government entities including Jal Shakti (PHE), Irrigation & Flood Control, Urban Local Bodies, among the top defaulters. He said these departments consume large volumes of electricity for public utilities, pumping stations, infrastructure, and security establishments, yet fail to clear dues in a time-bound manner, placing an enormous financial burden on the power sector.
“It is highly unfortunate that the aam aadmi is being penalised, whereas the government’s own departments continue to enjoy impunity despite massive pending liabilities. This is nothing but institutional bias and a complete betrayal of public trust,” Bhagat said.
He alleged that the present dispensation has adopted a policy of “selective enforcement,” where the Power Department acts swiftly against small domestic consumers, shopkeepers, and rural households, but turns a blind eye when it comes to high-value defaulters within the government system. “The irony is glaring — those who are responsible for governance have themselves become the biggest violators of financial discipline,” he remarked.
Taking a direct dig at Omar Abdullah, Bhagat said that holding the Power portfolio demands strict oversight and impartial decision-making, but what is being witnessed instead is a complete collapse of accountability and administrative will. He questioned why no stringent recovery drives, budgetary adjustments, or inter-departmental settlements have been enforced to clear these dues. Bhagat further said that such unchecked defaults are not only weakening the financial health of the power utilities but are also impacting infrastructure upgrades, power supply stability, and service delivery to consumers. He warned that the burden of these unpaid dues ultimately gets transferred to the general public in the form of stricter billing, higher tariffs.
, and coercive recovery mechanisms.
Accusing the government of shielding its own failures, he said that chronic and institutional defaulters continue to operate without fear of penalty, disconnection, or public disclosure, which clearly exposes the double standards being followed by the administration.
He urged the government to come clean on the exact quantum of pending dues department-wise, initiate a transparent and time-bound recovery mechanism, and ensure that all consumers—whether individuals or government bodies—are treated equally under the law.
Bhagat also called upon the Chief Minister to prioritise pressing public concerns such as power distress, erratic supply, and financial mismanagement within the sector, instead of allowing the situation to deteriorate further.
“The people of Jammu and Kashmir cannot be made to suffer for the inefficiency and indiscipline of the system. If the government is serious about reform, it must begin by fixing its own house. Transparency, accountability, and fairness cannot be selective—they must apply uniformly,” he added.
