Report on high tariff charged by Adani Power soon: Minister

Maharashtra Minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule Wednesday said he is likely to soon get a report on the alleged high tariff of Adani Electricity, supplying power to Mumbai suburbs, and that any excess amount charged from consumers will be adjusted in future bills.

The energy minister was speaking in the state Assembly during the Question Hour in reply to the issue raised by Shiv Sena member Sunil Prabhu.

Bawankule said theAdani Electricity took over power distribution in Mumbai suburbs from Reliance Energy in August 2018 and complaints about high tariff were received in November last year.

The Maharashtra Electricity Regulatory Commission (MERC) latertook suo moto (on its own) congisance of the matter and sought a report into it from the company, he said.

AMERC committeeis looking into the changes in electricity bills since the Adani Electricitytook over the distribution operations, he told the House.

Bawankule said the report will be ready by June 30 and if the tariff is more than what has been fixed by MERC, the excess amount would be adjusted in next bills of customers along with the interest.

Prabhu claimed thatout of 27 lakh consumers, 2.25 lakh have already paid the excess amount in their bills.

To another question, Bawankule saidhe would discuss the demand of waiving 10 per cent charge from those getting solar pumps for agriculture purposes in drought areas under a government scheme.

Congress member Mohammed Arif Naseem Khan raised the issue in the House, demanding that the 10 per cent amount to be charged from solar pump beneficiaries be waived "as a special case", in view of the drought situation in the state.

In response to another question, water conservation minister Ram Shinde announced suspension of Ganesh Chaudhary, director of an agriculture project under a United Nations programme taken up in six farmer suicide-prone districts of the state, who is accused ofirregularities.

The minister said Chaudhary was found guilty of irregularities to the tune of Rs nine crore.

The Anti-Corruption Bureau has already been inquiring into the case and it will be asked to expedite the probe, he said.