PANJIM: Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) legislators who met on Friday demanded that the hiked electricity tariffs be rolled back immediately claiming that this is affecting industry in the State.
BJP MLA Michael Lobo raised the issue with Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar and Power Minister Milind Naik at the meeting and narrated how people, especially the poor, are affected by the government’s hasty decision to increase the power tariff.
The chief minister assured the MLAs that the common people will not feel the pinch in future. The power minister claimed that electricity rates were increased based on the recommendation of the advisory board of the electricity.
“It is up to the government of Goa whether to consider the recommendations of the board or not, in view of public sentiments as the hike has badly affected small time business operators like kiosk owners, small shopkeepers, and also the hotel industry which is already badly affected since the last season,” Lobo said.
Lobo claimed that after the hike in the electricity tariff, the monthly bill has increased by over 50 per cent, due to the minimum charges levied by the government.
The government has levied a minimum charge on usage of 300 units. For a single phase connection it is Rs 100, for a three phase connection it is Rs 300. For commercial connections it is Rs 400 and usage of above 20kv it is Rs 2000. Lobo has demanded a rollback in the prices on a priority basis.
