In response to the recent announcement made by the electricity department asking suggestions from the public regarding the proposed increase in the tariffs of electricity consumption, it's pertinent to note that it's inadvisable. Here are some suggestions that can be taken into consideration and implemented forthwith. First the department has to make clear to the public what are the various amounts of arrears that are yet to be collected from different government departments, public institutions, private companies and high-end domestic consumers, before resorting to the easy way of collecting money needed by the power department by simply raising the tariffs. So it's important that whatever money is owed to the government by the defaulters is collected without any delay before any upward revision of tariffs could be undertaken. Secondly the government should reduce the expenditure it incurs on unnecessary and unviable projects and programmes, especially on publicity and advertising to promote its plans and proposals. Thirdly, a huge amount of money is spent on the entertainment of VIPs who are invited to Goa to attend official functions and inaugurations whose presence is not at all needed. Evidently a large amount of money is spent on their accommodation in luxury hotels and resorts. The government, has been going hammer and tongs to raise the taxes on various commodities and other products of consumption all and sundry without realising that this burdens the common men's finances immensely, particularly in view of high inflation prevailing all around. Let's hope that the decision to increase power tariffs is altogether dropped.
