Letter to BS: Amendments proposed in the Electricity Act are ill-timed

Apropos “Omissions and commissions in Electricity Act” by Somit Dasgupta (April 29), it has been clearly summarised that there is an attempt towards centralisation of power in the draft Electricity (Amendment) Bill, 2020. In the midst of a pandemic, when the economy is paralysed and administration is in the doldrums, the Union Ministry of Power is­­sued a public notice on April 17, detailing drastic changes in the Electricity Act, 2003. It has proposed huge concessions to private sector players for maximising their profit at the cost of the state power utilities and discoms, which are already facing an unprecedented financial crisis. The creation of another judicial authority is also questionable as regulatory commissions already have the mandate to adjudicate disputes between the licensees and generators. The Centre is trying to usurp the states’ power to appoint the regulatory commission chairman, besides proposing privatisation of distribution. It is also creating problems in payment of subsidies to various categories of consumers. The Prime Minister must intervene and put on hold the ill-timed amendments to the statute proposed to be enacted in Parliament.

V K Gupta  Kurukshetra

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