Telangana adopts resolution to oppose Electricity Amendment Bill 2020

Naveen S Garewal 

Tribune News Service 

Hyderabad, September 16  

The Telangana Legislative Assembly on Wednesday unanimously adopted a resolution opposing the proposed Electricity Amendment Bill 2020 that is likely to be introduced by the NDA Government in the ongoing Monsoon Session of Parliament. 

The resolution was moved by the leader of the House and Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao (KCR), who said the Bill, would put the lives of farmers in the state at peril and destroy the agriculture economy.  

“The Bill in its present form is dangerous. The Centre has sent us a draft and I have discussed the provisions of the Bill and wrote a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi urging him to withdraw the proposal. As I understand, the Centre will go ahead and introduce the Bill in the present Parliament session itself,” KCR said on the floor of the House. 

The Telangana State Assembly has asked the Central government to withdraw the “draconian Bill which is against the federal spirit envisaged by the Constitution and is aimed at usurping powers of the states”.  

KCR said the proposed amendment to the Electricity Act of 2003 was drafted in a way that was detrimental to the interests of farmers.

“Through this resolution, the Telangana Assembly demands the Centre not to impose the Act on the people of the nation and immediately withdraw the proposed Bill,” said the Chief Minister. 

“While the Centre is trying to put the entire power sector in the hands of the private sector, I have been insisting that only the government will run the Bhadradri and Yadadri power plants,” he said.

“The logic is simple, if the government runs the units, then we can give subsidies to farmers, the poor, we can plough back the earnings into the state’s economy and give more jobs. But a private company will just reap the benefits and leave,” KCR added. 

He also announced that the Telangana Government had accepted the demand of the people to present the electricity bills for the lockdown period on a monthly basis and not present a bill in aggregate.

“I have instructed the state power distribution companies to divide the electricity bills covering the entire lockdown period month-wise to save the consumers from paying inflated bills,” he announced.

Paying tributes to those who lost their lives in the Srisailam Left Bank Hydro Electric Station fire accident on August 20, the Chief Minister said nine people sacrificed their lives to save the unit from further damage.

“Their sacrifice was ultimate and I have instructed the Energy Minister to help the bereaved families in all aspects. A CID inquiry has been ordered and the department is also looking into the reasons for the accident,” he said. 

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