The All India Power Engineers Federation (AIPEF) has welcomed the move of the Union government for 'One Nation, One Grid, One Power Tariff' saying that the merger of different corporate entities was a must for achieving the exalted objective, else this will be reduced to a mere slogan.
Chairman of AIPEF, Shailendra Dube said in lucknow on Thursday that the corporatisation and privatisation of the power sector during the last 25 years has played havoc resulting in different power tariffs within the different regions of a state.
He said that the slogan 'One Nation, One Grid, One tariff ' propounded by Union Energy minister, Piyush Goyal would lose its objective as there were different tariffs in Delhi and Mumbai for the power consumers.
Dube said that on one hand, the Centre is pushing the idea of one grid and one tariff, while on the other it’s working for amendment to Indian Electricity Act for giving licence for power distribution to different companies in one city / region.
Demanding withdraw of the proposal for amendment in the Act, Dbue said that the government should clarify its stand on how it intends to achieve the target of 'One nation, One Grid and One Tariff'.
Dube said the Centre must clarify its line of action to implement uniform power tariff across the country as power is a state subject and all states have Electricity Regulatory Commission which decides power tariff.
"The government must carry out a detailed review of the measures taken in last 25 years before experimenting of amending the Indian Electricity Act," said the AIPEF chief.