Telangana Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao has appealed to the Centre to withdraw the Electricity (Amendment) Bill which has serious ramifications for the poor and farmers in the country, not to harass the States with its autocratic policies and allow public sector power utilities to flourish.
He announced adopting of another resolution against the power Bill on Tuesday since the Centre had introduced the Bill with some changes for the second time, although the State Assembly had adopted a resolution against it in September 2020.
Replying a short discussion on “Central Electricity Bill – Ramifications” in the Assembly here on Monday he explained that it had provisions against the interests of sections such as farmers, poor who include those getting subsidised power such as SC, ST households, barbers, washermen and weavers. A recent gazette notification makes it clear that fixing of a prepaid smart energy meter for every power connection, not just that of agricultural pump-sets, would be mandatory under the provisions.
He alleged that the Centre had linked the power reforms with additional 0.5% borrowing to States under the Fiscal Responsibility and Budget Management (FRBM) Act but Telangana did not take the bait and refused to go for fixing the meters to agricultural connections as being done in parts of Andhra Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh to begin with.
Mr. Chandrasekhar Rao told the House that the Bill was basically aimed at handing over the energy sector to private companies by provisioning for privatisation of distribution companies and mandating compulsory purchase of power from private companies engaged in renewable energy generation. “The distribution, transmission and generation facilities in the public sector have been developed by spending lakhs of crores rupees of public money since Independence but the Centre plans to handover them to corporates,” he stated.
“I appeal with folded hands to withdraw the power Bill for god’s sake as it’s detrimental and hazardous to the below poverty line sections and farmers. It’s also against about 20 lakh persons employed by the public sector power utilities and their jobs are threatened with the Bill taking shape of the Act,” he said.
In Telangana, the power Bill and its reforms would impact 98 lakh consumers of different sections. He alleged that the Centre was trying to push the Bill as power and agriculture were the only two sectors left from its privatisation spree of ports, airports, railways, roads, banks, insurance companies and other public sector undertakings. He blamed the incompetent policies of the Centre and its plans to benefit a few corporate bigwigs for taking forward the Bill against interests of the poor and farming communities and the looming threat to food security was also a result of it.
CM’s take on power sector
Peak load of power recorded in the country (one June 22 this year) was 2,10,793 megawatt.
It’s against installed capacity of 4,04,178 MW and base load of 2,42,890 MW.
There’s potential to generate over 1 lakh MW hydel power with some diplomatic steps, some minor policy decisions.
Over 95% of the installed capacity was developed during the Congress, UPA governments in the past.
Free power to farmers across the country very much possible with existing installed capacity, some policy decisions.
Telangana heading for self-reliance in energy sector with power plants under construction.
