Power Min questions Bengal CM’s intention on opposing amendment

Union Power Minister RK Singh on Monday questioned why West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee wanted to protect monopolies in power distribution when asked about her opposition to the Electricity Amendment Bill, 2021, which is set to delicense power distribution. Banerjee wrote a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, protesting the introduction of the Bill in the current session of Parliament without wider consultation with states, and calling the bill “anti-people”.

“Why she wants to protect monopolies is not clear, especially the private company in Kolkata, which has one of the highest tariffs in the country,” Singh said when asked about the objections raised by the West Bengal CM. He said the Bill would end government and private monopolies in power distribution.