Former Power Minister Manik Dey accuses govt of mismanaging TSECL

By  Firstdespatch Desk   Sep 16, 2023

Agartala, Sept 16 (FD) Veteran CPI (M) leader and former Power Minister, Manik Dey, criticized the state government's handling of the Tripura State Electrical Corporation Limited (TSECL). Speaking at a meeting organized by CITU against the privatization of the railway and power sectors, Dey criticized the government for its policies that he believes favour private entities from outside the state.

Dey indicates that in the past five and a half years, TSECL's debt has ballooned to Rs 800 crores, despite having a fixed deposit of Rs 300 crores until February 2018. He accused the government of mismanagement, alleging that the power corporation is raising power bills monthly, burdening the state's 12 lakh power consumers, akin to "pickpockets." This, he claimed, is part of the government's push for power sector privatization.

Dey lamented the decline in service quality by TSECL, emphasizing that Tripura, once a power surplus, is now experiencing frequent power cuts and load shedding.

The meeting was attended by prominent figures, including CITU General Secretary Sankar Prasad Dutta, also highlighted growing concerns about the state's power sector.