State Govt stays power tariff-hike for agriculturists

State Govt stays power tariff-hike for agriculturists
EXPRESS NEWS SERVICE

MUMBAI, JULY 21: The State Government announced a stay on the recovery of electricity bills for agricultural and powerloom connections as per the new tariff, which has been hiked. The new tariff came into effect from May 1, 2000.

The announcement of the stay was made by Energy Minister Dr Padamsinh Patil in the Legislative Assembly, while replying to queries of legislators on a calling-attention notice, moved by Anil Babar (NCP) and others.

He said the Maharashtra State Electricity Board (MSEB) would file an appeal before the Maharashtra Electricity Regulatory Commission (MERC) urging it to scrap the hike in tariff of agricultural and powerloom connections.

Dr Patil's assurance came after the members from the ruling and opposition sides vehemently opposed the tariff-hike and demanded that it should be scrapped immediately.

Earlier, Minister of State For Energy Rajendra Darda said the hike was effected by the MERC although the MSEB had urged it not to raise the tariff for the agricultural and powerloom connections. Even the Centre was not willing to continue the subsidies, he pointed out.

However, members from both sides rushed to the well of the House shouting slogans, ``Darvadh radda zalich pahije'' (Scrap the hike in tariff), forcing panel-speaker Chandrakant Padwal to adjourn the House for ten minutes.

After the proceedings resumed, Dr Patil pointed out that the MSEB did not have the necessary funds to strengthen its distribution and transmission network to fulfill the demand of 1.79 lakh applicants for agricultural connections. His assurance that the State Government would take the matter with MERC and try to find out a solution, was not accepted by the legislators who demanded an immediate decision. Opposition leaders, Narayan Rane and Gopinath Munde, too supported the demand.

Sensing the mood of the House, Dr Patil said the MSEB would file an appeal before MERC seeking reconsideration of its decision on the tariff-hike. However, the State Government would put a stay on the recovery of the electricity bills as per the revised tariff till the MERC takes a decision on the appeal, he announced.

The Minister also assured the members that the MSEB would not disconnect the electricity connections of the farmers and the powerloom-owners, on payment of their bills at old rates.

Earlier, Speaker Arun Gujarathi withheld a calling-attention notice, moved by Sudhir Munguntiwar (BJP) and others, on the deaths of two slum-dwellers during the demolition of illegal slums at Jalgaon on June 22.

Suresh Jain (Sena) objected to the suspension of chief executive officer of the Jalgaon Municipal Council by the Government holding him responsible for the incident. In fact, the slum-dwellers had agreed to shift from the site in a meeting with the local Collector, Superintendant of Police and CEO of the civic body. Further, the CEO had urged the Collector to send written orders to stall the demolition of the slums till the monsoon was over but the latter had refused to send it, he pointed out.

He sought to know why the CEO was singled out and suspended by the Government. On this, Minister of State for Home Manikrao Thakre said the Divisional Commissioner of Nashik, Ramesh Ubale, had been told to conduct a probe into the episode and submit a report to the Government. Gujarathi then ruled that the notice should be withheld till the report was submitted by the Commissioner to the Government.