The collection rose even after Desa ceased bulk sale of electricity to Rural Electrification Board (REB) and Dhaka Electric Supply Company (Desco) from January 2004, Desa Chairman Abdur Rob said.

He said Desa collected Tk 1,592 crore in one year until June 2003 that included Tk 925 crore from REB and Desco. "Only Tk 567 crore was Desa's own billing. But Desa realised Tk 562 crore in six months from July to December 2004," he said.

About Desa's success in bringing down systems loss, the Desa chairman said the number of feeders having more than 20 percent systems loss has been reduced to 144 from 164 in April. Desa has 367 feeders to supply electricity and the rest 223 feeders have zero to ten percent systems loss, he added.

Desa used to make bulk sale of power to REB and Desco who failed to make payments to Desa in time. "But Desa had to bear the brunt of the systems losses of REB and Desco," a senior official of Desa commented. He added that the government and donor agencies always blasted Desa for low collection of bills.

In January 2004 Desa stopped selling power to REB and Desco and asked them to purchase directly from Power Development Board (PDB).

Desa has been rebuked time and again for systems loss and poor realisation of electricity bills. Recently, a parliamentary body criticised Desa for losses amounting to Tk 1,576 crore in the last 10 years mainly due to irregularities and corruption.

To increase bill collection, Desa reorganised its meter reading and billing cycle. It ensured that subscribers get bills at least 15 days before the last date of payment.

Moreover, Desa intensified disconnection drive against illegal connection holders and bill defaulters from February this year. A mobile court has been set up and 17 magistrates have been engaged in this drive.

Desa also made the metering system of "high-tension" consumers flawless to prevent theft of electricity. It also introduced, though in a small scale, "mother meter" and "child meter" in multi-storeyed apartment buildings to prevent power theft.

"Child meters or individual meters measure individual power consumption while the mother meter reads the consumption of entire building," said a high official. If there is any discrepancy in the readings, the excess amount in the total bill is equally distributed among all apartment owners, he explained.

The Desa chairman said Desa signed an agreement in last April with each of its 34 divisional offices to bring down systems loss to specific targets.

For example, Postogola division has been given a target to reduce systems loss to 17 percent. If the target is achieved, the divisional staff will get incentive bonus. Disciplinary action will be taken against them if the target is missed.