Team Herald
Power Minister Milind Naik on Friday assured the Goa Legislative Assembly that the electricity tariff will return to almost normal.
“Even if the process is delayed by 3 to 4 months then the payments which people have made extra will be refunded,” the minister assured on the Floor of the House.
The government has been attracting criticism over the increased electricity tariff from people, the opposition and even its own legislators, who demanded a rollback of the hiked electricity tariff.
The decision of the Electricity department, following the recommendation of the Electricity Board, had almost doubled the tariff and the middle class and lower section of the society were facing hardships in making payments.
Naik also assured the House that within a month electricity bills will be issued on a monthly basis. Goa Electronics Corporation is handling electricity billing and currently almost 85 per cent of the bills are given monthly, this will be 100% by next month, the minister claimed.
He also said that a new substation will be established in South Goa to cater to the rising power needs of the district. “Shortly work will commence and this will be the second substation in South Goa. Important feeders also will be connected with underground cabling,” the minister said.
Stating that the process of tendering for installation of LED lights is in the final stage and the work order will be given, Naik said that LED lights will be completed within one year. He said that the work will be taken up in phases so that the existing lights which will be taken out can be utilized over a time so that there won’t be wastage.
He also said that the department has completed 30 per cent of the underground cabling work of the 11KV line across the State. Preference will be given to areas under thick forest.
He stated that Electricity department is purchasing four bucket mounted vehicles which will be deployed in both districts. The assembling work has been assigned to the private company and in the next three months these vehicles will be ready.
