Bizodisha Bureau, Bhubaneswar, March 29, 2015:

Odisha state BJP unit on Sunday alleged that the ruling BJD had its hand in the recent power tariff hike by the Odisha Electricity Regulatory Commission (OERC).

The party threatened statewide agitation if its demand for rollback of tariff rates is not implemented at the earliest.

“The hike in the electricity rates is going to hit hard consumers across all the sections. The state government justifies the OERC decision saying it was badly necessary to meet the Rs 740 crore arrears due to the National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC) towards bulk power purchase. This contention is ridiculous and proves that the state government had tacit support to the power tariff hike,” senior BJP leader Bijoy Mohapatra said.

The private power distribution companies (Discoms) like Wesco, Nesco and Southco showed around 50% loss in distribution, there was no audit of the claim, he remarked.

“Unhappy with the Discoms, the OERC had in 2005 and 2011 had recommended strong actions against them. The government should explain as to who stalled the proceedings against them,” Mr Mohapatra said, adding there should be an audit of the accounts of the Discoms by the Comptroller and Auditor General of India.

Quoting CAG report 2014 tabled in the Assembly, Mohapatra said the state government has exempted Rs 128 crore electricity to Vedanta Group.

“On one hand, you (the state government) are exempting electricity duty of a company and on the other hand, you are increasing the power tariff which will hit the poor and others also. This speaks of the state government’s real intention,” Mr Mohapatra added.

On the much-hyped Aahar programme announced by the Naveen Patnaik government on March 2 to provide food to urban poor, Mr Mohapatra said the Odisha government had launched the subsidised mid-day meal scheme keeping an eye on civic elections in the state and it tried to rope in the Central Public Sector Units (PSUs) to provide funds from their Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) funds.

“Your (BJD) election expenditure cannot be met out of CSR fund. CSR is not for charity. It is for sustainable development and creating assets. The Aahar programme is not a sustainable programme. Why did not you make you a scheme with budgetary allocation?” Mr Mohapatra asked.

Taking potshot at the BJD leaders criticizing the Central PSUs like Nalco, Mahanandi Coalfields Limited and Rourkela Steel Plant (RSP) for not responding to the state’s request to fund the Aahar programme,

“When these PSUs have spent several hundred crore rupees on CSR activities in Odisha and planning to invest huge sums on setting up medical colleges, why are blaming these entities for Rs 2-3 crore to influence voters?” Mr Mohapatra quipped.

The BJP leader said RSP and Mahanadi Coalfields Limited (MCL) have been asked to set up medical colleges with an investment of Rs 200 crore each while they are also providing funds worth Rs.800 crore for construction of toilets in schools in Odisha.

The BJD government has announced launch of the Aahar programme in Sambalpur, Rourkela, Bhubaneswar, Cuttack and Berhampur cities.