Team Herald
PANJIM: The hurriedly-announced power tariff hike by the Power Department was partially scrapped just as suddenly thanks to the uproar from the public as well as within the State cabinet.
Power Minister Pandurang Madkaikar announced the withdrawal of the 6.5 per cent hike in the power tariff for domestic consumers on Monday saying a high-level committee had taken the decision.
However, Madkaikar was quick to add that Urban Development Minister and BJP Legislative Party Wing leader Francis D’Souza, TCP Minister Vijai Sardesai as well as former chief minister and power minister Digambar Kamat also called him and offered suggestions.
“They informed me about Section 65 (Electricity Act) under which the State has right to provide subsidy and prevent hike in tariff,” Madkaikar told Herald.
While Madkaikar acknowledged the suggestions from senior leaders he was not too happy with Health Minister Vishwajit Rane’s outbursts in the media. “I had already spoken to him a day before and explained to him the issues,” Madkaikar said adding, “Being a cabinet colleague he should have maintained some discipline.”
Madkaikar further said that the State’s power tariff is the cheapest and that is the reason Joint Electricity Regulatory Commission (JERC) wanted Goa to hike its rates so as to minimise losses. “The State’s annual power subsidy is a whopping Rs 372 cr and add to it another Rs 10 cr which will be given now,” he said.
He said the State had proposed a 4.9 percent hike and JERC recommended a 6.5 per cent hike. “Despite the hike, the State’s power tariff is the cheapest,” he said.
Giving details, Chief Engineer Nilkanth Reddy said that Gujarat charges Rs 3.5/unit for the 0-100 unit consumers, Maharashtra charges Rs 3.07/unit, Puducherry charges Rs 1.30/unit and Goa charges Rs 1.30/unit.
Similarly, for consumers in 101-200 unit bracket Gujarat charges Rs 4.15/unit, Maharashtra charges Rs 6.81/unit, Puducherry charges Rs 2.25/unit and Goa charges Rs 2.10/unit.
For consumers in the 200-300 unit bracket, Gujarat charges Rs 4.25/unit, Maharashtra charges Rs 6.81/unit, Puducherry charges Rs 3.95/unit and Goa Rs 2.65/unit.
Even for consumers above 300 units, Power Department officials say Goa is far cheaper as it charges Rs 3.45/unit as against Gujarat’s Rs 4.25, Maharashtra’s Rs 9.76/unit, Puducherry’s Rs 5.10/unit.
