Telangana opposes Electricity Amendment Bill, says against spirit of federalism

Naveen S Garewal
Tribune News Service
Hyderabad, June 3

Telangana has strongly objected to the proposed Electricity Amendment Bill, 2020, saying it was against the spirit of federal polity since it seeks to snatch away powers of the state on various counts.

In a letter Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao (KCR) wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the former said that the draft Bill would have an adverse impact directly on the management of state electricity utilities.

Telangana Chief Minister listed out the various objectionable provisions, including the authority to appoint State Electricity Regulatory Commission by a selection committee constituted by the union government, making National Load Dispatch Centre (NLDC) all powerful with regard to power scheduling, allowing open access and Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) of subsidy to beneficiaries, among others.

The state has reacted to the Centre’s correspondence seeking the opinion of state government on the proposed law. The chief minister said the proposed bill takes away certain powers of the State government like the provision to appoint State Electricity Regulatory Commission (SERC). The Bill proposes the selection be done by a committee constituted by the Centre.

“We strongly oppose such tendencies where the Government of India or the Parliament enact laws which have a direct and major influence on the functioning of the State government, just because a particular subject is in the concurrent list,” KCR said.