JVM objects MOU with power cos by Jharkhand govt

"Why did the state government sign the MOU in a hurry instead of discussing it on the floor of the house. No important decisions can be taken outside the house when a session of the assembly was on," Pradip Yadav, JVM Legislature Party leader told reporters here referring the MOU which was signed on December 5 when the session was on.

He dismissed the state government's argument as false that the MOU would help the Jharkhand State Electricity Board (JSEB) to reduce revenue loss and provide quality services to the consumers.

Yadav claimed that several state governments including West Bengal, Maharashtra and Delhi had introduced such steps but failed as consumers had to cough up more money towards electricity bill.

While consumers were forced to pay about Rs 7.80 per unit to CESC in Kolkata, state electricity board in Nagpur suffered Rs 450 crore loss within seven after the government decided to hand over electricity distribution to a private operator, Yadav said.

Similarly, electricity bills of consumers had gone up by 40 per cent soon after it was handed over to franchise company by the Delhi government, he claimed. MORE