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Steep power hike may hit Maharashtra's IT industry

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CIOL Bureau
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PUNE: The IT industry in Maharashtra faces a bleak prospect of having to face

the consequences of a propsed hike in power tariff by the Maharashtra State

Electricity Board (MSEB).

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Under the MSEB proposal, average tariff hike will be around 19 percent.

However the other bad news is the proposed power cuts and load-shedding.

According to Maharashtra Chamber of Industries, Commerce and Agriculture (MCCIA)

president, Arun Firodia, the hike is expected to have an adverse impact on both

the industry and the agricultural sectors.

The hike comes at a time when the agricultural sector is suffering from late

monsoon and the IT industry is caught in the grip of a global downturn, he said.

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The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) in its recent report has clearly stated that

the industrial scenario is uncertain and is a cause of concern leading to a

probable shortfall in the growth rate.

"At a time when even the prime minister has admitted of an impact of the

slowdown on the Indian economy, this would be a retrograde step for the state,''

said Firodia.

Since MSEB is facing an acute shortage of power, which is normally aggravated

during the peak hours, the chamber has come out with some suggestions including

a plea that it had invested heavily invested heavily in generating captive

power, hence MSEB should not block its funds to that extent.

The chamber suggested a rate of Rs 3 per minute to be paid by MSEB to the

captive power producers for the power integrated into the MSEB grid during peak

hours. The chamber also suggested a special metering system to be evolved for

measuring the power sent to grid by captive power producers.

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