Goa's increased power hike to mop up Rs 28 crore

The Goa Electricity Duty (Amendment) Bill, 2012 was introduced on the floor of the House today which will repeal the Goa Electricity Duty (Amendment) Ordinance, 2012, which was issued to hike the tariff.

In the statement of objects and reasons, Goa Power Minister Milind Naik has said the additional revenue has been generated to build transmission and distribution network in the state.

Building up of the transmission and distribution network in the state involves huge investment which cannot be met from the normal revenue collection.

"In order to mobilise additional revenue, the rates on duty leviable on the units of energy consumed have been increased," the minister has said.

By increasing rates of duty leviable on the units of energy consumed, as envisaged in the bill, the government is likely to earn average additional annual revenue of Rs 28 crore, he added.

The minister said the Union Power Ministry is mandating that all states should strengthen the transmission, sub-transmission and distribution network within the states, so as to meet the Government of India's plan for capacity addition and also to make it possible to provide 'open access' as per the provisions of the Electricity Act, 2003.