Mumbai: On Wednesday, Maharashtra Energy Minister Dr. Nitin Raut urged the Centre to withdraw the proposed Electricity (Amendment) Bill 2020, stating that it clearly violates the constitutional mandate and undermines its federal structure. The intent should be towards decentralization of power for transparency and efficiency, he said.
Expressing his grave concern over the proposed amendments in the Electricity Act 2003, Dr Raut said that the Centre intended to override and dominate the State Government's responsibility in the administration of power Generation, Transmission and Distribution of Electricity.
Dr Raut observed that it is obvious that the Federal Structure of Electricity wherein the Centre and State Governments are responsible is being interfered.
‘’By centralizing the powers, the basic intent of the Constitution is being violated and centralization of power is not desired. The intent should be towards decentralization of power for transparency and efficiency. Therefore, existing provisions empowering State Government as well as State Commission to take appropriate decisions/make rules & regulations after considering the State specific issues need to be continued,’’ the minister said.
He said the Constitution of India under Seventh Schedule, provides the powers to both the Central as well as State Governments to make appropriate laws on the matters related to electricity.
However, with proposed amendments the Central government with an intention to centralise the power in its hand, proposed the amendment which makes states weaker in the matters related to power sector as the subject is now in concurrent list and provides equal opportunities to both Centre and State.
He said by effecting the amendment the Centre was trying to privatise distribution, transmission and generation as it was now taking various measures and policy decisions to privatise the Public Sector Units (PSUs) under various pretexts. However , he alleged, its objectives were to benefit some business houses at the cost of common people on whose money the PSUs were created.
