The State Cabinet on Thursday decided to modify the June 5, 2023, order on Gruha Jyothi to provide relief to power consumers using less units monthly.
The decision entails provision of 10 additional units instead of 10% of average utilisation by LT2 consumers who use less than 48 units monthly. The decision was taken to enable poor families since additional 10 units on the average used units would be higher than 10 %.
The Cabinet note said that poor families using 30 units would get just 33 units after 10 % calculation. In Bescom alone, as many as 69.73 lakh families are using less than 48 units, who will be benefitted with the decision. This will cost an additional ₹33 crore to the exchequer. A total of 1.95 crore families across the State are using an average 53 units monthly.
Welfare board for transport workers
To bring relief to drivers and cleaners in the transport sector, the Cabinet approved creation of Karnataka Motor Transport and other Allied Workers’ Social Security and Welfare Board.
It is estimated that 83 % of the workers are in unorganised sector. To raise money to the board, the government has decided to re allocate tax resources from transport department. As per the proposal, the tax collected from infrastructure projects across Karnataka and a part of the equity invested in Bangalore Mass Rapid Transit Ltd.
Decision deferred
The Cabinet decided to defer decisions on issues related to late payment surcharge to be paid by Power Company of Karnataka Ltd. (PCKL) and Escoms to Udupi Power Corporation Ltd (UPCL).
Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister H.K. Patil told presspersons after the Cabinet that Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has suggested deferring decisions and obtain expert and legal advice on the issues. They include payment of ₹1,348 crore to be paid by PCKL and Escoms to UPCL towards late payment surcharge and ₹ 1,061 crore to paid to UPCL by Escoms.
He said, “There are differed views on the payment by Escoms to UPCL. The government is yet to decide on whether to appeal against the order given by CERC in the Appellate Tribunal for Electricity. The Chief Minister felt that more discussions are required.” The Cabinet also decided to defer the decision on the signing supplementary power purchase agreement with Adani Power Ltd. After the amalgamation of Adani Power and UPCL, he added.
The Cabinet approved government guarantees for loan worth ₹ 4,430 crore taken by Karnataka Power Corporation Ltd. From various banks and financial institutions. Among other decisions, the Cabinet approved modification to scrapping policy for registered vehicles by providing 10 % concession on tax to construction equipment vehicles, including agriculture vehicles against production of certificate.
