Team Herald
PORVORIM: Indirectly stating that a power tariff hike is inevitable in the future, Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar said that if consumers want quality service then they should be ready to pay for it.
Replying to cut motions on demand of Electricity Department, after the department came in for criticism from the Opposition as well as ruling benches regarding the power situation in the State, the Chief Minister said that quality power supply will require expenditure on existing infrastructure.
“Out of the annual budget of Rs 2166 cr per year of the department, we are giving a budgetary support of Rs 371 cr to the Power Department every year. We charge just Rs 1.30/unit for the first 100 units which is the cheapest and whenever even 10 paise is increased everyone makes a noise,” he said.
Parrikar said he agrees that the poor should get cheap power but people having air-conditioners must not feel they are poor. “The power tariff (hike) will have to be there somewhere around Rs 1.50/unit. I also don’t expect a consumer using 500 units to be poor,” Parikar said, adding that when you give free power there is no limit for consumption hence there has to be a tab and that is by increasing the tariff only then people will feel the pinch.”
Talking about the green power Parrikar said that was also not an easy option. “We are getting renewable energy from Saligao plant, Sesa and Merc etc but we have to give them incentives as that also costs,” he says.
Further, making a case for power tariff increase, the CM – who has taken over the power ministry from Pandurang Madkaikar – said that in the last seven years the DA increase itself of the employees is 77 per cent. “I am not even talking of 7th Pay Commission which has further increased by 24 per cent,” he said.
Parrikar said he is not making any announcement of increase now but “we will have to think about it in future. If we do not do the situation will remain same.”
Regarding the power failures this year, Parrikar blamed the weather for damaging the infrastructure.
“Poles were uprooted, transformers and distribution lines were damaged due to lightning, trees fell on conductors,” he said.
Giving further details, Parrikar said that the work order for infrastructure works of Rs 410 cr has already been issued besides another Rs 411 cr works have been tendered by the department. “Another Rs 755 cr works are being taken on priority,” he stated.
