Gruha Jyoti scheme not cause of power tariff hike; cost not passed on to others: CM Siddaramaiah
Bengaluru (PTI): Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Friday dismissed allegations that the hike in power tariff has anything to do with the 'Gruha Jyoti' scheme that offers up to 200 units of free power for residential use every month.
He said there is a wrong notion that the burden of 'Gruha Jyoti' has been passed on to others.
"It is wrong to think that the burden of Gruha Jyoti Yojana has been put on others," Siddaramaiah told a delegation of Federation of Karnataka Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FKCCI). The delegation led by its President B V Gopal Reddy met the CM at his home office 'Krishna'.
Siddaramaiah, however, assured that he would look into the demands put forth by the FKCCI, which apprised him of the hardships being faced by traders and industries due to the "exorbitant" hike in power tariff.
The CM clarified that the hike was not done by his government but the Karnataka Electricity Regulatory Commission, and added that the decision on tariff increase was taken by the KERC even before his party came to power.
He assured the delegation that an appropriate decision would be taken after holding separate meetings with the finance and energy departments, Karnataka Small Scale Industries Association (KASSIA) and FKCCI.
The FKCCI members appealed to the CM to reduce the hike in power tariff for small and medium industries from nine per cent to three per cent.
They also requested Siddaramaiah to provide concession on Fuel Escalation Charges (FEC) and suggested that a policy for the Medium, Small and Micro Enterprises (MSME), as has been formulated in some other states, be drawn up in Karnataka.
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Integrity of electoral process severely compromised, Cong to soon launch movement: CWC
New Delhi (PTI): The Congress Working Committee met here on Friday and adopted a resolution alleging the integrity of the entire electoral process was being severely compromised against which the party would soon launch a movement.
In the resolution of the top body of the Congress, the party said free and fair elections is a Constitutional mandate that was being called into "serious question by the partisan functioning of the Election Commission".
The CWC, which met amid the ongoing Winter Session of Parliament, said the session has been a washout so far because of the Narendra Modi government's "stubborn refusal" to have an immediate discussion on three pressing national issues -- "the recent revelations regarding corruption by a business group, and the violence in Manipur and Uttar Pradesh's Sambhal".
Asked why the Congress Working Committee (CWC) resolution does not name the business group, Congress leader Jairam Ramesh said, "The answer is the Adani group".
"The CWC believes the integrity of the entire electoral process is being severely compromised. Free and fair elections is a Constitutional mandate that is being called into serious question by the partisan functioning of the Election Commission.
"Increasing sections of society are becoming frustrated and deeply apprehensive. The Congress will take these up these public concerns as a national movement," the resolution stated.
Addressing a joint press conference along with Ramesh and Congress spokesperson Pawan Khera, party general secretary, organisation, K C Venugopal said the party discussed the political situation in the country for four-and-half hours and adopted the resolution.
He said the CWC has decided to constitute internal committees to look into electoral performance and organisational matters.
About the Assembly polls results in Maharashtra, Venugopal said the electoral outcome in the state was "beyond normal understanding and it appears to be a clear case of targeted manipulation".
