Sushma to meet families of Indians abducted in Afghanistan
New Delhi, June 7: External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj will meet sometime next week the families of the six Indians abducted in Afghanistan last month, an official said on Thursday.
At a media briefing here, External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said Sushma Swaraj, currently in South Africa, had offered to meet them sometime next week.
"I am sure when she comes back, she would like to meet them and we are working out a date and a time for that," Kumar said.
Militants abducted seven people, including six Indians, on May 6 in Afghanistan's Baghlan province. The kidnapping took place in Bagh-e-Shamal village.
According to local officials, the incident occurred while the employees were travelling to the area where the company has a contract for an electricity sub-station.
Baghlan Governor Abdulhai Nemati said the Taliban had done the kidnapping and moved the group to the Dand-e-Shahabuddin area of Pul-e-Khumri city.
According to Kumar, the government was giving top priority to this problem. "We are in touch with the Afghan side, we are in touch with other stakeholders.
"Since it is matter of great sensitivity and lives are involved, so I would not like to get into two many details in this matter."
Kidnapping of locals for extortion is common in Afghanistan. Most of those abducted have been Afghans but foreign workers have also become targets.
In 2016, Indian aid worker Judith D'Souza was kidnapped in Kabul. She was released after 40 days.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Power tariffs under BESCOM to rise from May 1
Bengaluru (PTI): Power bills for consumers under the Bangalore Electricity Supply Company Limited (BESCOM) will go up from May 1, following an order issued by the Karnataka Electricity Regulatory Commission (KERC) on Friday.
The hike comes after KERC allowed the BESCOM to recover a revenue deficit of Rs 2,068 crore incurred in 2024-25, from the consumers.
As a result, for every unit of electricity consumed in 2024-25, the customers will be charged an additional 56 paise, it said.
"BESCOM shall calculate, for each of the active consumers of FY2024-25 the amount to be recovered based on their actual energy consumption during FY2024-25. Such amount shall be recovered during FY 2026-27 in equal monthly instalments, to be called as 'FY25 True up Charges', commencing from the first meter reading date falling on or after 1 May 2026 and concluding with the reading date ending on 30 April 2027," the order said.
"It is further ordered that BESCOM shall maintain a separate head of account, allocated for the purpose, to record the adjustment of the said amount to ensure full recovery of the deficit," it added.
Similarly Chamundeshwari Electricity Supply Corporation Limited (CESC) has also recorded a revenue deficit of Rs 121.71 crore and can collect an additional 15 paisa per unit for consumption in 2024-25, official sources said.
