Bhubaneswar, Dec. 3 -- Odisha's outstanding electricity bill arrears have climbed to nearly 7,000 crore, with the government placing the largest share of unpaid dues on domestic consumers.

The figures were presented by Deputy Chief Minister Kanak Vardhan Singh Deo in the State Assembly on Wednesday while responding to a question from Congress MLA Ram Chandra Kadam.

In his written reply, the Deputy CM informed that a total of Rs 6,956.93 crore in electricity bills remains unpaid in the state. Out of this sum, general consumers account for Rs 6,558 crore of the pending dues, while industrial and commercial consumers owe Rs 398.93 crore, he said.

According to the figures submitted by the Deputy Chief Minister, household consumers constitu...