New Delhi:
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Saturday said that the proposed amendments in the Electricity Act, 2003 were “very dangerous” and aimed at benefitting the big power companies “close to the Prime Minister Narendra Modi”. The Aam Aadmi Party chief said that he will personally meet non-BJP chief ministers to oppose the amendments proposed by the Narendra Modi government.
“I will write to all the chief ministers and personally meet those from the non-BJP-ruled states against the amendments that are very dangerous and draconian. This move is aimed at benefitting the big power companies that are known to be close to the prime minister,” the Delhi CM said.
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Kejriwal alleged that the amendments sought to initiate forward trading in the power sector that would “snatch away” power of the state government and common people will have to bear the burden of corruption of the power companies.
“Forward trading will mean the big people will gamble and the common people will have to bear the entire burden of generation, speculation, supply as well as the corruption of the power companies,” he said.
The Centre had sent the proposed amendments to the Electricity Act to the states for their feedback on September 7. It planned to pass the bill in the coming Winter Session of Parliament.
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The proposed amendment bill, the Delhi CM said, would put an end to cross-subsidy, injecting a steep two-to-five times hike in the power tariff across the board, so that even the middle class, let alone the farmers and poor, would find it difficult to afford electricity.
