If bill gets passage, power distribution to be informal: Ajit Kumar Bhuyan

Rajya Sabha MP Ajit Kumar Bhuyan wrote a letter to Union Minister and CM Sonowal regarding the proposed amendment of Electricity Act
If bill gets passage, power distribution to be informal: Ajit Kumar Bhuyan

STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI: Rajya Sabha MP Ajit Kumar Bhuyan wrote a letter to Union Minister for Power and New and Renewable Energy RK Singh and Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal regarding the proposed amendment of Electricity Act, 2003 through Electricity (Amendment) Bill, 2020.

"The Bill in the present form is an attempt to privatize the electricity sector and the manner in which the Bill seeks to establish 3-tier privatization business, will ultimately lead to breaking up of electricity distribution system and will transform it to an informal sector," stated Bhuyan in his letter.

Bhuyan said that the bill is contentious as it will encroach into the domain of power of the State governments. "Over the years we are witnessing centralization of power in favour of the Central government at the cost of the State governments. It requires no mention that electricity is in the Concurrent List. Therefore both the State and the Central governments has power to legislate on it," the MP said.

Further, Bhuyan asserted that the amendment in the present form would take away the power of the State government and ultimate sufferers would be the consumers, as the States will not have power to take any policy decision in respect of electricity.

"The amended Bill is seeking to do away with power of the State government to provide for a mechanism of cross subsidy by which the common consumers are getting benefit in electricity charges. The amendment will severely restrict the power of the State governments in giving benefit to the consumer of their respective states," he underlined.

He pointed out that the decision will have a serious impact on the functioning of the State governments so far as exercise of their executive and legislative power in relation to "electricity" and thus amendment is violative of the constitutional scheme.

Lastly he expressed that it is not understandable as to why, at a time, when the country is passing through a serious crisis and everything have come into standstill the government is rushing through such an important bill, which requires serious debates involving all stake holders.

Also watch: Morning Bulletin | 12th June, 2020

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