Fuel price hike big factor behind higher inflation: Bhalla

Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, May 29: Senior Congress leader and former minister Raman Bhalla today expressed concern over proposed move of the Government to privatize power distribution sector in Jammu and Kashmir, saying the measure will impinge on people’s right to free energy.
In a press statement Bhalla said the ongoing situation and lack of revenue sources have broken the back of J&K’s economy and the privatization of power distribution will further push people to wall. “The measures will hit the BPL consumers, middle class people and farmers who have already been at the receiving end due to the untoward situation prevailing in J&K. As per the new proposed privatization measure, a Central enforcement authority will be set up which will disempower the regulatory commissions and further add to the centralization of power authority in wake of no consideration for problems faced by locals,” he said.
Terming the proposed measure as anti- poor, Bhalla said the proposed privatization will snatch the access to electricity from economically challenged sections of the society. “The decision is solely a prerogative of a popularly elected government,” he said adding “Economic activity in J&K has shrunk since 2014 and the latest COVID-19 induced lockdown.”
He said private players are cash strapped, employability is at its lowest ebb, and inflation has already broken the back of middle class. It is highly unbecoming of the government to come up with such measures when the economy of J&K is struggling. Far from proving succor to the people, the government is adamant on sucking the life and blood of people. How are people going to pay exorbitant power tariff? People associated with handicrafts, agriculture and its allied sectors, tourism sector, small scale industries and construction sector are reeling under huge debts.
“At a time when a vast majority of people in J&k is struggling to make both ends meet, the strategy of the government should have been to lend them a helping hand, not pushing them to wall, with such measures. It is distressing to see Government clueless on augmentation on renewable resources of energy in J&K despite having a vast potential in solar energy, wind energy and geo thermal energy. No significant headway has been made on making biogas a popular and viable source of energy in rural areas,” he said.