The total pending dues of state government-owned distribution companies to power generators rose 36 per cent year-on-year in November 2020.
According to the PRAAPTI portal of the ministry of power, the total amount payable by discoms as of end-November 2020 stood at Rs.1,41,573 crore. This includes both dues that are outstanding and those that are overdue. Generators usually give a credit period of six months for payment, from the date of presenting the invoice. Any payment delayed beyond six months is considered “overdue” and generating companies are permitted to levy interest on such delayed payment. The share of overdue amount in the total amount due was a whopping 92 per cent.
| Table 1: Discoms Payment Performance | |||
| (Rs.crore) | |||
| Nov-20 | Nov-19 | % chg | |
| No. of overdue invoices | 21,977 | 15,288 | 43.8 |
| Overdue amount at month-start | 1,26,414 | 93,169 | 35.7 |
| Total amount billed to discoms | 13,171 | 16,000 | -17.7 |
| Amount paid by discoms against overdue (A) | 9,148 | 12,842 | -28.8 |
| Amount paid by discoms against outstanding (B) | 1,527 | 5,013 | -69.5 |
| Total paid by discom (A+B) | 10,675 | 17,855 | -40.2 |
| Overdue amount at month-end (C) | 1,29,820 | 93,215 | 39.3 |
| Outstanding amount at month-end (D) | 11,753 | 11,211 | 4.8 |
| Total amount due at month-end (C+D) | 1,41,573 | 1,04,426 | 35.6 |
| Source: PRAAPTI Portal | |||
Here are highlights for the month of November 2020, the latest data released:
- Total outstanding by discoms stood at Rs.1,41,573 crore as of end-November 2020, up 35.6 per cent from Rs.1,04,426 crore as of end-November 2019.
- Of the total outstanding as of end-November 2020, 92 per cent represented overdue amount. This level in November 2019 was slightly lower at 89 per cent.
- The total amount billed to discoms during November 2020 stood at Rs.13,171 crore. This was nearly 18 per cent lower than the Rs.16,000 crore billed in November 2019.
- The total payment made by discoms to generators in November 2020 was Rs.10,675 crore, which was around 40 per cent lower than that in November 2019.
| Table 2: Summary of dues by discoms: end-November 2020 | ||||
| (Rs.crore) | ||||
| Overdue | Outstanding | Total | % share | |
| Central PSUs | 44,118 | 10,014 | 54,132 | 38.2 |
| State gencos | 29,333 | 0 | 29,333 | 20.7 |
| IPPs | 44,505 | 1,216 | 45,720 | 32.3 |
| RE Players | 11,864 | 523 | 12,387 | 8.7 |
| Total | 1,29,820 | 11,753 | 1,41,573 | 100.0 |
- The total outstanding payment (but not overdue) by discoms as of end-November 2020 was Rs.11753 crore. This was 4.8 per cent higher than that in November 2019.
- The total overdue amount by discoms as of end-November 2020 was Rs.129820 crore, which was 39.3 per cent higher than that in November 2019.
- Of the total amount payable by discoms (outstanding and overdue) of Rs.141573 crore (as of end-November 2020) to Central PSUs (including NTPC, NHPC, etc) accounted for a share of 38 per cent. Private generators (independent power producers or IPPs) had a share of 32.3 per cent, followed by state gencos (21 per cent) and renewable energy producers (8.7 per cent).
- It is very interesting to note that discoms had cleared their entire “outstanding” amount payable to state power generation companies, as of end-November 2020. The entire amount payable of Rs.29,333 crore represented “overdue” amount.
PRAAPTI, an acronym for Payment Ratification And Analysis in Power procurement for bringing Transparency in Invoicing of generators, is an online service (www.praapti.in) launched by the Union power ministry in May 2018.
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