The federal government has permitted gas consumers of 300 units to pay their monthly gas bills into installments to avoid circular debt of gas companies - the Sui Northern Gas Pipeline Limited (SNGPL), and the Sui Sourthern Gas Company (SSGC).
The gas consumers could also pay their bills in three installments, whereas, the gas bills of March, April and May would have to be paid within a span of nine months. The authorities would further be reviewing the situation of the gas bills after June 30.
Earlier, the Petroleum Division had submitted a proposal of giving subsidy worth Rs480 million to gas consumers on the system of both utilities by waiving off bills for one month in the wake of coronavirus lockdown. A presentation to Prime Minister Imran Khan was also given on Monday to waive off gas bills of the gas utilities across the country, sources said.
However, the government rejected the proposal and issued directives for payment of gas bills into three easy installments. The management of the SNGPL that operates in Punjab and the KPK provinces will take up the Rs400 million monthly bill payment of gas in both provinces in installments. The gas utility, the SSGCL will receive monthly gas bills payment of Rs80 million from the consumers of gas in Sindh and Balochistan provinces.