Electricity Amendment Bill anti-people, anti-federal: Kejriwal

Calling the proposed amendment to the Electricity Act 2003 'anti-people' and 'anti-federal', Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Saturday said it would lead to a sharp hike in the electricity bills of the common man.

The bill would lead to huge tariff hikes and will result in complete control of the Centre over the power sector and total exclusion of the states, he told the media here.

"The amendment will benefit selected private players. The power tariffs of small and medium domestic consumers will increase at least two to three times immediately all across India," Kejriwal said.

"Presently, two of the three members of the electricity regulatory commissions are state government's choice. The amendment proposes a six-member selection committee with only one state government nominee, four Central government nominees and one sitting Supreme Court judge," he said.

"In effect, the Central government will decide the constitution of all State Electricity Regulatory Commissions (SERCs)," he said.

The Bill, expected to be passed in the winter session of the Parliament, just a few months before elections, will also increase crony capitalism and monopoly, Kejriwal said.

"The Centre will be able to give benefits to the power companies close to them. The timing of these amendments is suspicious. It is rumoured that these power companies would return favours by providing funds for elections," he said.

Claiming that the Delhi Government has provided the cheapest and uninterrupted power supply, Kejriwal said his government has not hiked tariffs in the last three years.

"The amendments propose phasing out of cross-subsidies. Presently, all across India, higher tariffs are charged from industrial and commercial consumers to subsidise domestic consumers and farmers.

"After this amendment, there will be just one rate of electricity for all consumers irrespective of load, consumption or type of consumer," he said.

"It is proposed to reduce cross-subsidy to 20 per cent immediately and progressively eliminate it within three years. This would lead to a huge increase in tariffs all across the country immediately," he added.

--IANS

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