AIADMK urges U.T. government to clarify its stand on power privatisation

The All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam has asked the Puducherry government to make its stand clear on privatisation of Electricity Department.

Addressing media on Wednesday, party secretary A. Anbalagan said Home Minister A. Namassivayam had recently stated in a press conference that he would not comment on power privatisation as the subject was pending in the court. 

The Minister had also stated that the liabilities of the Electricity Department was around ₹300 crore, and that the government would need huge funds to revamp the old power distribution network. The stand taken by the Minister at the recent press conference was contrary to what he had said in the Budget session of the Assembly, the AIADMK leader said.

“The Minister had informed the Assembly that the government was not in favour of privatisation. Now, he is giving figures of liabilities of the department and talking about huge funds needed for replacing old distribution network. The remarks made by the Minister suggest of the government’s favourable attitude towards power privatisation,” the AIADMK leader said.

The Electricity Department has arrears to the tune of around ₹465 crore, including ₹163 crore from consumers and ₹171 crore from government departments. The government should first recover the dues and strengthen the department instead of privatising the power sector in the Union Territory, he said. 

Published - November 20, 2024 07:53 pm IST