Deprecated (16384): The ArrayAccess methods will be removed in 4.0.0.Use getParam(), getData() and getQuery() instead. - /home/brlfuser/public_html/src/Controller/ArtileDetailController.php, line: 150
 You can disable deprecation warnings by setting `Error.errorLevel` to `E_ALL & ~E_USER_DEPRECATED` in your config/app.php. [CORE/src/Core/functions.php, line 311]
Deprecated (16384): The ArrayAccess methods will be removed in 4.0.0.Use getParam(), getData() and getQuery() instead. - /home/brlfuser/public_html/src/Controller/ArtileDetailController.php, line: 151
 You can disable deprecation warnings by setting `Error.errorLevel` to `E_ALL & ~E_USER_DEPRECATED` in your config/app.php. [CORE/src/Core/functions.php, line 311]
Warning (512): Unable to emit headers. Headers sent in file=/home/brlfuser/public_html/vendor/cakephp/cakephp/src/Error/Debugger.php line=853 [CORE/src/Http/ResponseEmitter.php, line 48]
Warning (2): Cannot modify header information - headers already sent by (output started at /home/brlfuser/public_html/vendor/cakephp/cakephp/src/Error/Debugger.php:853) [CORE/src/Http/ResponseEmitter.php, line 148]
Warning (2): Cannot modify header information - headers already sent by (output started at /home/brlfuser/public_html/vendor/cakephp/cakephp/src/Error/Debugger.php:853) [CORE/src/Http/ResponseEmitter.php, line 181]
LATEST NEWS UPDATES | Reforms in power utilities, sugar subsidy on the cards

Reforms in power utilities, sugar subsidy on the cards

Share this article Share this article
published Published on Sep 21, 2012   modified Modified on Sep 21, 2012
-The Economic Times

The government is pushing ahead with long-awaited reforms to boost finances of cash-strapped power utilities and to reduce food subsidy by raising the price of sugar in ration shops, but the cabinet meeting to consider these moves has been deferred to next week.

Sources said the government was also considering a proposal to increase the dearness allowance for central government employees by about 7%. This should come as a relief to around 8 lakh government employees and boost spending.

These measures are part of a slew of steps being rolled out by the government to revive economic growth, undeterred by a nationwide bandh called by opposition parties on Thursday to oppose the increase in diesel prices and foreign direct investment in multi-brand retail.

The plan for the power sector involves a proposal for the state governments to take up half of the Rs 2,00,000-crore short-term debt of distribution companies. The distribution companies will issue long-term bonds backed by state government guarantees to lenders. The state governments will buy back the bonds in two to five years.

The scheme envisages giving the distribution companies a three-year moratorium for repaying principal of the balance 50% of the short-term loans. Separate arrangements are sought to be made for financing of operational losses and interest on debt. The scheme will be applicable to only those distribution companies that commit to reduce their operational and distributional losses.

The government also proposes setting up monitoring committees at the state and central levels for quarterly review of the restructuring programme.

Meanwhile, the food ministry has proposed that the price of levy sugar, unchanged at Rs 13.5 per kg since 2002, should be freed from central control and states should be allowed to fix new rates depending on their financial strength. Alternatively, prices may be raised to Rs 25.37 per kg to wipe out the subsidy on levy sugar. There is a subsidy of Rs 2,000 crore to distribute 2.7 lakh tonnes of levy sugar.

The proposal is ambitious as a pervious attempt to raise the price of levy sugar by 30% to Rs 17.5/kg could not be executed. But Cabinet ministers say the government is now sending out the message that it means business.

While law minister Salman Khurshid said it was time to concentrate on growth and get back to shops, factories and offices, finance minister P Chidambaram struck a political note when he said "we have enough friends and we will keep working for the good of the economy," while talking to reporters on Wednesday.

Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress, UPA's biggest ally, announced withdrawal of support to the government on Tuesday over the recent reform initiatives on rationing subsidies and allowing foreign investments in supermarkets. Seven Union ministers from the party are set to submit their resignations to the prime minister on Friday.

The finance minister had told newspersons earlier this week that the second part of the reform agenda would be rolled out over the next few weeks with the Cabinet clearing crucial decisions. The cabinet committee on economic affairs is likely to meet on next Tuesday, a government official said.

The Economic Times, 21 September, 2012, http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/economy/policy/reforms-in-power-utilities-sugar-subsidy-on-the-cards/articleshow/16483075.cms


Related Articles

 

Write Comments

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

*

Video Archives

Archives

share on Facebook
Twitter
RSS
Feedback
Read Later

Contact Form

Please enter security code
      Close