The Maharashtra Government will shortly announce new policies to support firms based on mining

The state government will soon announce the Mining Policy in an effort to support mining-based enterprises, particularly in Vidarbha and other areas of Maharashtra with abundant mineral resources. In addition, the government will unveil its Power Policy, which would lower electricity rates for the industry. These declarations were made by DCM Devendra Fadnavis in response to a motion for raising attention regarding the closure of steel companies in Maharashtra due to increasing power tariffs. He holds the energy department responsible for these pronouncements.

 

Fadnavis acknowledged that the current power rate for the industry in Maharashtra is Rs. 8.48 per unit, higher than the rates in Madhya Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, and Gujarat, which are each currently at Rs. 6.95, Rs. 7.43, and Rs. 8.96 and Rs. 8.96, respectively (Rs 10.13). He argued, however, that it would not be appropriate to compare the electricity rates Maharashtra charges to industry consumers with those of other states because there is a significant difference in the natural resource availability in each state.

 

According to Fadnavis, Maharashtra has 4,55,217 industrial consumers, of which 15,063 are high-tension consumers and 4,40,208 are low-tension consumers. In comparison to 2020–21, the state has seen a 26% increase in the number of electricity connections offered to industrial consumers in 2021–22. As of November 2022, 14,699 connections had been provided to business customers during the current fiscal. Consumers in the business have been provided a plethora of incentives, some of which were not available in other jurisdictions.

 

Fadnavis also stated that the government will pursue a revival of the 1,967 MW gas-based power project run by Ratnagiri Gas and Power Pvt Ltd (RGPPL) in Ratnagiri district with the Centre. He acknowledged that the plant was not producing electricity due to a gas shortage when its contract with the Railways expired. "Gas supply is now limited as a result of the Ukraine-Russian conflict. After conversion, the Qatari natural gas can be utilised to assess the RGPPL project, and the state government will bring this up with the Center "He stated this in response to a query posed by Mr. Bhaskar Jadhav, a Shiv Sena Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray MLA.

 

 

 

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