High electricity charges leading to closure of thermal power projects, says BJP MP Venkatesh in Rajya Sabha

Demanding reduction in electricity charges, a BJP MP in Rajya Sabha on Friday said high bills have resulted in closure of many thermal power projects including in Nellore and Odisha.

Raising the issue during Zero hour, TG Venkatesh (BJP) said more than Rs 1 lakh crore has been invested in these projects.

"Many coal power projects in India are closed because of very high billing charges by the electricity board. Consumers are not able to buy this power. Mainly affected thermal power projects are in Nellore and Odisha. More than Rs one lakh crore have been invested in these projects," Venkatesh said.

He said globally billing charges are not more than 40 paise (per unit) but here Rs 4 (per unit) is being charged against generation cost of Rs 3 (per unit).

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"Nowhere in the world this is happening. Electricity boards are not giving global tariffs," he said and added that this has resulted in closure of power industries besides institutions, labour and GDP were being impacted.

Demanding lowering of the charges, he said this should reflect in the next bill cycle.

Raising another issue, Muzibulla Khan of the BJD demanded revisiting of census figures in Odisha

"For 40 years minority census shows 2-3 per cent population only which is not possible. Please rectify the problems because benefits will not be available to them," he said.

M Thambidurai (AIAMDK) urged the Centre to release the pending rice subsidy of Rs 5,445 crore to Tamil Nadu.

Terming the state as a farmer-friendly state, he said it had a good performance in agriculture even during the coronavirus pandemic and it was high-time that the Centre released the subsidy.

Raising the issue of land records, Fauzia Khan (NCP) demanded its digitisation, while noting that courts were overburdened with cases related to land ownership.

Expressing concern over privatisation of ordnance factories, Binoy Viswam (CPI) said there were 41 ordnance factories with a turnover of Rs 45,776 crore in 2018-19 but there was a move to privatise them which will go against the nation.

Defence should be top priority and corporatisation should not happen, he said and added that unions were agitating against it.

Elamaram Kareem (CPI-M) raised the issue of pensioners seeking justice.

KTS Tulsi (Cong) demanded proper implementation of the Garib Kalyan Rojgar Abhiyan that provides 125 days of employment to workers.

He said only six states have been chosen for this while Chhattisgarh has been left out.

He said the state has seen 5 lakh migrant labourers return after losing livelihood due to COVID-19.

Demanding implementation of the scheme in Chhattisgarh, he said the percentage of people living below the poverty line in the state is 47.9 per cent, higher than Jharkhand, Odisha and other states.