Shailendra Dubey, chairman of AIPEF, said the controversial Bill should be withdrawn, especially as several states such as Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Kerala, Chhattisgarh, West Bengal , Bihar, Jharkhand and Puducherry have voiced strong objections to it.
The All India Power Engineers Federation has urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to put an end to the controversial draft Electricity (Amendment) Bill 2020, as a large number of states have raised serious objections to the amendments.
In a letter to the Prime Minister, Shailendra Dubey, Chairman of the AIPEF, claimed that the controversial bill had to be withdrawn, especially as a number of states, such as Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Kerala, Chhattisgarh, West Bengal , Bihar, Jharkhand and Puducherry, expressed strong objections to it.
“The issues contained in draft amendments are far too draconian to be rushed through and certainly deserve a detailed feedback from the states, more so as power is on the concurrent list,” he said, adding that the amendments seek to erode the working of regulatory commissions and dictate terms on issues of tariff, DBT, subsidy, Electricity Tribunal ECEA and payment security issues, which come under the purview of state policy.
“In view of strong objections from a number of states, the Bill certainly requires extended discussion and debate in both houses of Parliament, which would not be possible under the constraints of virtual participation. It makes it all the more necessary and urgent that the Bill must be referred to the Standing Committee on energy, so that states and stakeholders, including consumer organisations, employee and engineers can submit their objections in detail,” he said.
“The Union power ministry is trying to push through the draft amendments and acting against the spirit of democratic functioning without prior discussions as per the spirit of democratic functioning,” the letter said.
