CALCUTTA, Aug 24: State electricity boards and various power companies owe Coal India Ltd a whopping Rs 4,000 crore against coal supplied by CIL's seven subsidiaries, according to the latest available figures. Almost half of this amount -- Rs 1,781.16 crore -- that is owed by 22 SEBs and power companies is in the disputed category.

Outstandings of 13 of the biggest defaulting SEBs were Rs 2430.17 crore, while nine power companies account for another Rs 976.40 crore. The provisional outstandings amount to Rs 3406.57 crore, although sources in CIL's marketing department place the figure closer to Rs 4,000 crore.

Last year, the coal sales net dues to CIL's subsidiaries from all the sectors including power, steel and others were around Rs 2113.89 crore (as on March 31, 1996). The subsidiaries made provisions of Rs 1135.18 crore for doubtful debts.

By August this year, the provisional outstandings from the power sector alone had touched Rs 3407.61 crore. While the total provisional disputed outstandings of the subsidiaries have remained unchanged at Rs 1626.45 crore, the undisputed amount has increased from Rs 1589.67 crore on August 1 to Rs 1781.16 crore on August 16.

The Maharashtra State Electricity Board heads the list of defaulters followed by the SEBs of Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat and Punjab. According to the provisional figures available with The Financial Express, the MSEB owes CIL subsidiaries Rs 675.54 crore, the UPSEB owes Rs 411.34 crore, the GEB Rs 287.53 crore and the PSEB Rs 236.48 crore.

West Bengal's SEB and power development corporation together with the SEBs of Tamil Nadu, Bihar and Madhya Pradesh also figure prominently in the defaulters' list. Except the WBSEB, all others have outstandings of over Rs 100 crore each, with WBPDC running up dues of Rs 188.85 crore.

NTPC and the Badarpur Thermal Power Station account for over half the dues of Rs 976.40 crore from nine power companies apart from the SEBs. The total outstandings from NTPC is Rs 286.69 crore and BTPS owes another Rs 397 crore. The Damodar Valley Corporation owes CIL's subsidiaries Rs 147.96 crore.

Weaker CIL subsidiaries like Eastern Coalfields Ltd and Bharat Coking Coalfields Ltd are the worst hit by the mounting dues. However, Central Coalfields Ltd has been left with the biggest unpaid bill of Rs 678.38 crore.

Copyright © 1997 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.