Threate-ning strict action against those indulging in theft of electricity, power minister Piyush Goyal on Thursday said that “industries” and “big people” are the ones involved in the pilferage and n
Threate-ning strict action against those indulging in theft of electricity, power minister Piyush Goyal on Thursday said that “industries” and “big people” are the ones involved in the pilferage and not the poor people.
“Bribes are offered to linesmen and department officials, and may be polit-icians are also involved in it,” Mr Goyal said here at the two-day conference of power ministers of states and Union territories.
He called for taking action against those involved in power theft saying it will benefit the common man.
He said: “I would like to mention that this is not the issue concerning the poor people. Don’t think that you will be politically affected if you take action against the power theft. Poor persons are not involved in the theft. Farmers don’t do it because they get it cheap or free power.”
“Maximum theft is in the field of industries and by big people. I feel there is a political benefit in stopping the theft because by doing that you will be able to reduce the electricity bill of the common man.”
He added: “If you do your job honestly and if you are able to convey to people that what you are doing is for their benefit, then I can assure you that politically there is a great benefit in curbing power theft.”
The minister also hailed the efforts of Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his stint as Gujarat Chief Minister in converting the loss making power sector into a profit yielding one.
“I have learnt this from Gujarat. When Prime Mi-nister Modi was the Chief Minister of Gujarat, in the first year itself he began a crackdown on electricity theft. This was in the year 2002 and Modi faced criticism.”
