In a development that will bring relief to a sizeable section of people in Maharashtra, the Congress-led DF Government on Monday announced 20 per cent reduction in electricity tariff to domestic and other consumers across the State, excepting those based in Mumbai.
The decision, taken at the weekly meeting of the State Cabinet, will be applicable only to consumers using the power supplied by the Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Co ltd (MSEDCl), the distribution company of the State-run Maharashtra State Electricity Board (MSEB), and not those catered to by the private suppliers — as is the case with Mumbaikars.
All those domestic consumers, who use not more than 300 units of electricity in a month, will be benefited from the 20 per cent reduction in power tariff. Similarly, consumers using power for commercial, industrial and agriculture purposes will also be benefited from the decision.
An official spokesperson said that the power tariff reduction initiative would result in a total financial burden of `706 crore a month on the Maharashtra Government and MSEDCl. While the Maharashtra Government would bear a burden of ` 606 crore a month, the MSEDCl would underwrite the remaining burden of `100 crore every month.
The State Government’s decision to reduce power tariff will have no bearing on people based in Mumbai, where Reliance Energy, BEST, a civic undertaking, and Tata Power Company (TPC) cater to the needs of electricity consumers.
Though city Congress MPs Sanjay Nirupam and Priya Dutt have been agitating for both reduction in tariff and uniform tariff structure for consumers in Mumbai, the State Government has yet to take up the matter with the various private power supplying companies.
last week, Nirupam and Dutt had led a morcha to the office of Anil Ambani-owned Reliance Energy at Kandivli in north Mumbai, demanding reduction in power tariff. On her part, Dutt has also demanded uniform tariff for all consumers – catered to by different companies – in the metropolis.