Pune, Mar 13 (KNN) The Mahratta Chamber of Commerce, Industries and Agriculture (MCCIA) has opposed the Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company Limited (MSEDCL) proposal of 37 per cent power tariff hike for 2023-24.

“Any further rise in tariff will be detrimental to industrial and commercial activities, affecting competitiveness. The cascading effect would disincentive investors from additional domestic and foreign direct investments in the state, moving industries out of Maharashtra. It will also increase prices of the products manufactured,” MCCIA official said.

MCCIA, which participated in the online public hearing conducted by the Maharashtra Electricity Regulatory Commission (MERC) for Pune division, pointed out that there is a need to create competition in supply and distribution of power to improve efficiency. 

“There is a need to formulate a long-term policy to encourage our own power supply. MERC should conduct a thorough scrutiny of the petition submitted by MSEDCL through technical validation via consumer representatives, and publish their opinion on the same. This practice was followed by the commission in the early years,” press statement from MCCIA said.

As per reports, the association also suggested for setting up a separate company for supplying power to the agriculture sector.

This, it said, will ensure better targeting of supply as well as reduction in the undue burden of cross-subsidy surcharge on industrial, commercial, residential and other categories of electricity consumers.  (KNN Bureau)