Based on the report of a member of the Maharashtra Rajya Kisan Sabha (AITUC)
During the hearing on March 3 in Nagpur, the leader of the power workers, Comrade Mohan Sharma, General Secretary, AIEEF, said that the power tariff hike in Maharashtra is being done for the benefit of Adani corporate. He also claimed that there was no need to increase the price of electricity if there was a proper improvement in power company management and anti-people role of the state government.
It is also necessary to keep in mind that as per Section 11 of the Electricity Act 2003, the Centre has ordered imported coal-based power generation plants to produce electricity at full capacity. All these are owned by private capitalist companies, corporate families such as Tata, Adani at Mundra, Essar-Salaya, JSW, Trombay, Udupi, Meenakshi Urja and Torangal JSW. At the time of peak demand for electricity last year, MSEDCL (the power distribution company of the Maharashtra government) had to buy power from them at the rate of Rs 18 to 20 per unit. Due to the purchase of this expensive electricity, MSEDCL has lost Rs 40,000 crore. Mahagenco, this government power generation company has a minimum rate of Rs. 2.50 per unit and a maximum of Rs. 5.46; despite this, MSEDCL is in loss due to purchase of electricity at the rate of Rs. 18 to Rs. 20.
Keeping all the above in mind, if seriously considered, it will be as clear as sun light that there is absolutely no need for an increase in the electricity rate.
Organisation of workers and farmers are strongly agitating against the state government’s forcible hike in electricity rates.