Goa Health Minister Vishwajit Rane shows red signal for power tariff hike in the state

Panaji, April 2: Joint electricity regulatory commission (JERC) gave an indication of power tariff hike in the state, this made State Health Minister Vishwajit Rane oppose against this indication. He demanded that the decision to hike power tariff in the state must be kept in abeyance till Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar returns to Goa.

He threatened to hold a ‘midnight protest march’ with the people from Sattari taluka against the power tariff hike, which is due to come into force from April 1.

“Poor people will suffer due to the hike in power tariff of 11 percent and 9 percent for domestic and agricultural connections respectively… It is not acceptable to us. Yesterday I spoke to Power Minister Pandurang Madkaikar and told him that this decision needs to be kept in abeyance till the Chief Minister comes back to the state,” said Rane.

 

“If by April 30 the decision is not kept in abeyance then I will hold a midnight vigil march from Sattari and Usgaon to Panaji along with 10,000 people,” he said.

“I appeal to all the elected representatives, including my colleagues in the cabinet, to oppose the JERC’s unilateral decision on power tariff hike. Goa must have guts to challenge such a decision rather than implementing it,” he maintained.

He also said that he would raise the issue before the Bharatiya Janata Party leadership in the state.

“Bureaucracy should be well within its jurisdiction… The JERC cannot dictate terms to the government… Goa has been in turmoil owing to the mining closure and the power tariff hike will add insult to the injury of the people especially from the mining belts,” he said.