Mundi: Power engineers body protests against Electricity Amendment Bill

Mundi (Madhya Pradesh): The All India Power Engineers Federation (AIPEF) has strongly objected to the statement of union power minister RK Singh to place and pass the electricity (amendment) bill 2021 in the next session of Parliament.

It said all the employees and engineers will resort to day-long nationwide protests if the Electricity Amendment Act is passed in Parliament without taking them into confidence.

Union power minister RK Singh attending the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry on Thursday, had said the Electricity Amendment Bill, which aims to enable consumers to choose between multiple service providers just like in case of telecom services, is likely to be introduced and pushed into the next session of Parliament beginning July.

AIPEF members also said that it strongly opposes the statement made by the cabinet minister. It also said that it has also written to all the chief ministers of the state and union territories and made an appeal to strongly oppose the bill in the larger interest of the energy sector and electricity consumers.

AIPEF chairman Shailedra Dubey said following farmers’ agitation last year, the government had given a written assurance to Union Kisan Morcha that the Bill will not be placed in Parliament without discussion with all stakeholders. The government has not even held any discussion till now, in this regard.

Notably, the Electricity Amendment Bill (2021) will allow multiple distribution companies to operate, thereby bringing in competition and offering choices to consumers.