Kolhapur: Agricultural consumers in Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company Limited's (MSEDCL) Kolhapur zone — comprising Kolhapur and Sangli districts — have defaulted on power bills worth Rs 400 crore till March 31, 2017.Both Kolhapur and Sangli districts are known for sugarcane and other cash crops. In order to draw water from wells and ponds to their farms, the farmers use pumps. Hence, consumption of electricity in these two districts is on the higher side.However, the farmers often fail to pay their electricity bills, affecting MSEDCL's revenue target. An MSEDCL official, on condition of anonymity, said, "Around 2.75 lakh farmers in Kolhapur zone have defaulted on Rs 400 crore till March 31 this year. The Sangli district is ahead of Kolhapur where 1.75 lakh farmers have defaulted on electricity bills of around Rs 300 crore. Around 1 lakh farmers in Kolhapur district have defaulted on the remaining Rs 100 crore."He added, "The power minister has instructed us to recover the dues. The recovery from farmers will be utilised for new agricultural connections, and augmentation and extension of existing power network. Around 11,000 farmers are awaiting power connections since last year and recovery from the defaulting farmers will be used for the providing new connections."A senior official of the company said, "Small and marginal farmers pay the power bills within the given time, but big landholder make delay in payments that affects our recovery. Morale of the farmers, paying bills on time, gets down as their counterparts easily play with system."

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