Government to discuss electricity bill with power sector employees

New Delhi: Government has assured power sector employees that it will discuss in detail proposed amendments to the Electricity Act with them before seeking Parliament's approval.

"Power Minister Piyush Goyal assured the delegation of National Co-ordination Committee for Electricity Employees and Engineers (NCCOEEE) that detailed discussion with them will beheld in New Delhi before presenting the Electricity (Amendment) bill 2014 in the Parliament," All India Power Engineers Federation said in press release.

According to the statement, a delegation of NCCOEEE led by K O Habib met the minister at the venue of power ministers’ conference. The delegates briefed the minister about their apprehensions on the proposed amendments to the electricity bill and its implications.

In the one-hour meeting, the minister assured the delegation that the concerns of the employees and engineers working in the power sector will be addressed.

Goyal also informed that the states have been given the power to decide the timing and method of introducing competition in distribution and no cherry picking will be permitted.

The necessary changes in the bill cleared by the standing committee will be made after further discussion in the next meeting to be held after three weeks, the statement added.

The Electricity (Amendment) Bill, 2014 was introduced in Lok Sabha in December last year. It seeks to segregate the distribution network from the electricity supply business.

The bill also seeks to introduce multiple supply licensees in the market. It will enable consumers to choose their service providers.

Earlier, NCOEEE has decided to strike on December 8throughout the country to protest against the bill.