Mumbai, Mar 23: Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar on Thursday said his government was committed to make the state load-shedding free by the end of this year and ruled out possibility of a uniform power tariff for Mumbai.
Replying to the supplementary demands debate in the legislative assembly, Pawar who holds the energy portfolio, assured that load shedding in the state would be over by end of this year.
“The government is working towards achieving this goal,” he said.
He, however, ruled out introducing uniform power tariff in Mumbai.
He said having uniform power tariff for Mumbai will mean the state government has to give a cross subsidy of around Rs 2,000 crore.
There has been a long- standing demand of people for a uniform tariff in the city against four different tariffs charged by four utilities providing power to the city.
The state government had appointed Price Waterhouse to study the possibility of a uniform power tariff for the city which stated that it was is feasible only if government gave cross subsidy.
There are 39 lakh power consumers in the metropolis who receive supply from Reliance Infra, Tata Power Company, Brihanmumbai Electric Supply & Transport and Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company Ltd.
Nearly 27 lakh consumers who draw power from RInfra pay the highest rates, while the consumers served by the TPC pay the lowest.
Criticising the Sena for protesting against Jaitapur nuclear power plant, Pawar said the project along the coastal Konkan region will be implemented.
The proposed 9,900 MW Jaitapur nuclear power project in collaboration with a French firm, is facing stiff resistance from Shiv Sena and local villagers.
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