Special power supply measures for posh-area residents

The state-run Power Development Board (PDB), according to a recent news report, has decided to offer outage-free special power connections. Initially, such privilege will be made available to the consumers living in the posh areas, including Gulshan and Banani of the capital Dhaka through an exclusive feeder line. However, users of this special facility would have to pay premium tariff rate, Tk 13 per unit of power, which is four times the present average tariff. The PDB will not be able to provide the special power facility immediately for it has to take approval of the Bangladesh Energy Regulatory Commission (BERC) to meet the power need of the affluent people in particular. The PDB is initiating the special measure for posh areas where residents are ready to pay higher tariff for outage-free supply of power, apparently, following the principle -- 'you buy privilege since you have more'. But can the state-run power entity, for the sake of fairness and justice, adopt a discriminatory policy in power distribution on the basis of the paying capacity of the consumers? It is the job of the government to ensure uninterrupted power supply to all consumers, no matter how rich or how poor they are. But it has been consistently failing to do so for years after years, forcing the consumers of all types to suffer badly. The people are being told time and again about plans to install power plants, large and small, both in the private and public sectors. But the situation has not changed much on the ground. In fact, the PDB's initiative is most likely to evoke strong criticism from the majority of the consumers, who belong to middle and low income groups of the society. These consumers, highly dissatisfied with the present power supply situation, might consider the move to appease the richer section as an insult to them. Had the power outages been within a tolerable limit they, perhaps, would have accepted the PDB's proposed action to offer special facility to a particular section of consumers. But when domestic, industrial and commercial consumers are suffering badly due to frequent power outages, the move would not be welcomed by most consumers. However, businesses, the worst-affected section of consumers, have welcomed the initiative though the PDB has said nothing about offering a similar facility to them. The industrial consumers said they would be happy to pay a 'rational' level of increased tariff if uninterrupted supply of power is guaranteed for their production units. Why would not they? The cost of per unit power generation at their diesel or furnace oil-run captive generator is very high. But with this existing power generation situation the PDB may not be in a position to offer such a 'privilege' to industrial establishments. In the meanwhile, the PDB has placed a proposal before the BERC to hike power tariff by 21 per cent at the consumer level. Though such upward adjustment of power tariff has become all the more necessary because of the recent hike in fuel oil prices, it would, obviously, fuel inflation further. The people are already hard-pressed by the price rise of essentials. Any further hike would only heighten their sufferings. Yet the PDB, possibly, is left with little option other than raising the power tariff to rein in its ever-soaring losses. And the government is also not at all comfortable with its budgetary resources to provide enhanced volume of subsidy to it.