Anganwadi in Murtizapur's Brahmi Budruk gets Rs 850 power bill despite using no electricity

The anganwadi centre at Brahmi (Bu.) village in Murtizapur taluka has received an electricity bill even though no power has been used there. The bill is for Rs 850. The centre is said to have consumed no electricity since the meter was installed, which has raised questions about the working of the power distribution system.

The government has provided electricity supply to every anganwadi centre. But at the Brahmi Budruk centre, although a meter has been connected, power use has not actually begun. The centre is said to lack the necessary electrical fittings for now, so no bulbs light up, no fans run and no other electrical appliance is used there.

According to the information available, there was also a delay of about a month in giving the electricity connection. People are surprised that a bill of Rs 850 was raised even though the meter reading is zero.

It is also understood that the meters concerned were supplied through private companies. The question being raised is whether bills are being generated without properly checking actual consumption, the meter reading and the bill sent.

On one hand, the government runs several schemes for children's nutrition, health and education through anganwadi centres. On the other, if the bill has to be paid for a connection that was never used, it could become a serious issue of the proper use of public money. The bill amount will be paid from the government treasury, but that money ultimately comes from ordinary citizens as taxes. Merely generating a bill is therefore not enough; actual consumption and the meter reading must be verified.

Demand for inquiry into other anganwadis too

Citizens have demanded that the electricity bill of the Brahmi Budruk anganwadi centre be investigated immediately and corrected if it was raised wrongly. They also want the electricity bills of the other anganwadi centres in the taluka checked, to find out whether similar errors have occurred elsewhere.