the goan I network
MARGAO
Even as Power Minister Nilesh Cabral on Saturday ruled out any hike in power tariff till such time the State supplies 24x7 power supply to consumers, the Joint Electricity Regulatory Commission (JERC) for Goa has called for a public hearing on the electricity department’s petition for approval of business plan for the multi-year tariff (MYT) control period from 2019-20 financial year to 2021-22.
The JERC will hear objections and suggestions from the public at the Ravindra Bhavan, Margao, on October 30 at 10 am. The commission has invited interested persons to lodge their suggestions and objections in person or send them via mail to the Secretary, Commission.
The public hearing assumes significance and comes against the backdrop of the statement issued by the Power Minister Nilesh Cabral on Saturday that the power department will not effect a hike in the power tariff till the department is in a position to supply 24 hours power supply to the consumers.
At the last JERC hearing, members of the public had vehemently objected to the proposal by the electricity department to hike the power tariff, with citizens demanding that the government bear the difference in the tariff rates.
GOACAN Convenor Roland Martins told The Goan that the JERC is holding the public meeting on October 30 to hear suggestions and objections from the people over the electricity department’s petition on the business plan. “At the last hearing, we had made it clear that the government should not overburden the consumers with additional dose of tariff when the power scenario is bleak, with crumbling infrastructure and power outages being the order of the day,” Martins said.
The minister on Saturday had asserted that the government will not move to effect a hike in the power tariff for the simple reason that the department has not been able to provide 24 hours power supply. In fact, he had categorically stated that though the JERC had been after the government to go for a hike in power tariff, the ruling dispensation has committed to the people of Goa not to effect any tariff hike for the moment,” he added.
The business plan mooted by the power department touches all aspects of the functioning, including construction of staff quarters and office buildings. In fact, the plan envisages construction of new office buildings in order that the different offices of a division are housed in a single building, which otherwise would often be housed in other rented places.
The plan has also mooted construction/repairs of staff quarters and office buildings to facilitate the availability of staff within premises of the headquarters for immediate reporting to duty in case of emergencies. “Often such offices/quarters are constructed near the sub-stations. Major capital maintenance works of staff quarters improves the living conditions of the employees,” an official said.
