The office-bearers of Vidarbha Taxpayers Association (VTA) on Sunday expressed serious concern over the increasing burden of electricity charges on consumers. At its meeting held under the chairmanship of VTA President Shrawan Kumar Malu, the executive body members of the association observed that he rising cost of electricity has a cascading impact on the cost of goods and services and ultimately affecting the common consumer. The association has decided to take up the issue with the Maharashtra Government and Maharashtra Electricity Regulatory Commission (MERC) and seek a comprehensive review of the electricity tariff structure.

 

The association also called for rationalisation of demand and fixed charges, a review of Time-of-Day (ToD) tariff timings based on actual consumption patterns, and a tariff mechanism that encourages rather than discourages investment in rooftop and captive solar power. Malu said that the association was not seeking any preferential tariff for a particular sector, but a fair, transparent and scientifically determined system that balances the legitimate requirements of the power distribution system with the interests of consumers and taxpayers.

 

VTA Secretary Tejinder Singh Renu said that Government policies promoting industries, MSMEs, tourism and employment generation should be consistent with electricity tariff policies. Also present were Hemant Trivedi and Ashwin Agrawal (Mehadia) - Vice Presidents, Pawan K Chopra - Treasurer, Amarjeet Singh Chawla and CA Hemant Sarda - Joint Secretaries, Rajesh Kanoongo - PRO, Executive Body Members Pravin Agrawal, Saqib Parekh, Govind Patel, Viru Balani, Sharad Sonkule, Hemant Sharma, Pratish Gujarathi, Narendrapal Singh (Vicky) Osan and Sanjiv Puthran.