Rs. 500 Crore per annum subsidy to WBSEDCL

Uprising Electricity bill, not an new issue for the public. But affordability of this surely has a limit. But the ever uprising price of Coal will continue affecting this Electricity bill. But now the C.M. Mamata Banerjee & her Govt. has decided to allow a subsidy of Rs.500 crore to WBSEDCL per annum to dominate the high tariff rate of the company. And more over this subsidy will be allowed for all type of consumers ( Household & Low Level Users). The primary estimate is Rs.500 crore which may increase in coming summer cause the demand for electricity mostly felt in summer seasons.

As per the instructions given by WBSEDCL Commission, the per unit electricity price raised to Rs.4.71 from Rs.4.27, but commission approved Rs.4.95/unit for the Financial year 2010-11. For this Govt. agreed to subsidize the Rs..24 margin to the commission. Sale for the period was 188540 units; so the subsidy amount will be around Rs.489 Crores.
Previous Govt. (Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee led Left Front) used to subsidize the poor and low level users (consumers below 200units use/month) which amounted to around 100 crore unlike the current Govt. who decided to increase this amount to 500 crore. This hints that the new Govt. will not differ the user type for subsidizing .
But the question "from where this subsidy amount will come from?" still not finalized. It has been decided to waive the 40crore/month Electricity duty & more 500crore from Loans & Interest. But one thing to be noticed that from this plan the public who don't use electricity at all also have to pay taxes for this to recover this subsidy amount.
But the ministry should think that this will not introduction should not help as it is thought to be. In simple words why should one who uses more Electricity & capable of paying for it shall avail this subsidy whereas low level consumers are getting a little of the bite. All Bengal Electricity Consumers' Association (ABECA) Chairman Ranjit Biswas says it is meaningless to subsidize them who uses more than 300units/month and they are thinking of a good proposal to Govt. about this.
Well we don't know what Govt. finally decides, but they should surely revise this issue & introduce a good alternative. Which will solve the both purpose & majority will get benefited.