Mumbai: Taking a cue from the Aam Aadmi Party government in New Delhi, the Maharashtra government is mulling providing up to 100 units of power free of cost to the poor.
Power Minister Nitin Raut has directed his department to prepare a report on how this scheme could be implemented. If implemented, this scheme will be only be applicable to those consumers whose power consumption is less than 100 units.
The AAP government, known for its developmental works, provides 200 units of power free to domestic consumers, which partially explains the popularity of the AAP government. In Maharashtra, the newly formed Maha Vikas Aghadi government seems to be following in AAP's stead.
Last month, deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar instructed the administration to construct and develop government schools like those developed by Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal in Delhi.
"I am planning to provide 100 units of power free of cost to domestic consumers. I have asked my department to prepare a report on how this scheme can be implemented," said Raut.
Report in three months: Raut met Power Secretary Aseem Gupta and asked him to prepare a feasibility report. "We can reduce production costs. We can plug leaks in the three power companies involved in generation, transmission and distribution of power. We can also focus more on recovery. If we succeed in reducing expenditure and increasing recovery, we can pass on these savings to consumers," Raut said.
Gupta will also ask officers in all three companies to discuss this proposal and their feedback will be taken into account. A highly placed source in the power department made it clear that the scheme will be applicable only to those consumers who are poor and use up to 100 units of power.
"Those consuming more than 100 units will not benefit from this scheme. This is a scheme for poor consumers across the state," said an official. "Currently the process of revision of power tariffs is under consideration in the Maharashtra Electricity Regulatory Commission. The MERC fixes power tariffs on the basis of production, distribution and transmission costs borne by all the three companies. We are trying to reduce these costs, so that tariffs will be lower. Raut wishes to pass on these savings to poor consumers, to bring them relief," said an official.
Sena praises AAP govt: A day before the Delhi Assembly polls, the Shiv Sena heaped praise on Kejriwal for his government's "ideal" work in the last five years, and said the Centre should have replicated the 'Delhi model' of development in other states. The Sena said PM Modi or Union Home Minister Amit Shah should have felicitated Kejriwal for fulfilling his promises in Delhi, but instead, senior BJP leaders and ministers are raking up the 'Hindu vs Muslim' issue, in a bid to win the elections. "PM Modi and Amit Shah are leaving no stone unturned in the Delhi Assembly elections. They (BJP) could not come to power in Maharashtra and lost in Jharkhand. Therefore, the BJP wants to win Delhi and there is nothing wrong in it," the Sena said in an editorial in the party mouthpiece Saamna. "With the aim of winning the Delhi polls, 200 MPs from across the country, chief ministers of all the BJP-ruled states and the entire Union Cabinet are in the electoral arena. Despite that Kejriwal has clearly emerged stronger than them," it said.
There could be differences of opinion on Kejriwal's views and style of functioning, it said, adding, "But despite having limited power in hand and the hurdles created by the Centre, his government's work in the fields of healthcare, education, civic amenities is ideal."
PM Modi and his cabinet should have replicated this 'Delhi model' in other states and utilised Kejriwal's vision across the country, the Sena said. "Instead, all efforts were being made to prove Kejriwal wrong. If anybody is doing good work in a state and even if that person does not follow your ideology, the country's leader should still praise him and implement his good work elsewhere. But there is no magnanimity left in politics now," the Uddhav Thackeray-led party added. "Children from poor families study in government-run schools in Delhi and such schools have set an example. The mohalla clinics are doing good work. Water and electricity tariffs were either waived or halved. It means the promises that Kejriwal had given were fulfilled.
