No move to privatise MSEB, assures Rane, but Opnn walks out

MUMBAI, MARCH 30: Even as Chief Minister Narayan Rane assured agitated members that there was no proposal to privatise, either partially ...

MUMBAI, MARCH 30: Even as Chief Minister Narayan Rane assured agitated members that there was no proposal to privatise, either partially or completely, the Maharashtra State Electricity Board (MSEB), members of the Left parties and Progressive Democratic Front staged a walkout in the Legislative Assembly today.

Intervening during a reply to a calling attention notice given by Shiv Sena member Bala Nandgaonkar, Rane said that there is no proposal to privatise distribution of power.

However, Rane said that the World Bank has proposed that in view of huge transmission losses, it would be better if the MSEB decides to privatise distribution to improve the financial position of the Board.

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Earlier, Minister of State for Energy, Tukaram Dighole, said the unions representing the workers have not served a strike notice on the Board. “Even if they stop work from April 20 to April 22, power generation will not be affected,” Dighole added.

Dighole said the Government is awaiting the report of the committee ofexperts, appointed to study the power distribution system in Navi Mumbai and Vashi areas.

The agitated members, led by Janata Dal’s Sambhaji Pawar, alleged that by bowing to the pressure of a section of the industrialists, the alliance Government is all set to privatise the Board at the cost of the workers. Subsequently, they staged a noisy walkout.