Power tariff hike and lottery okayed, more allowances to be dropped

IMPHAL, April 5: Continuing the series of austerity measures it has initiated to tackle the financial situation, the Radhabinod Koijam decided today to increase power tariff, suspend payment of House Rent Allowance, implement the online lottery scheme, and to set up a state fiscal commission. Revising the Manipur Electricity Supply Annual Regulations 2000, the Cabinet, which met today at 5 pm at the Chief Minister's conference hall, agreed to marginally increase power tariff by 8 paise per unit over the existing rates with effect from June 1 next. The existing power tariff rate is Rs 1.25 per unit for domestic users and Rs 2.10 per unit for industrial users for the first 100 units. The Cabinet also agreed for power consumers who fail to clear their pending dues before June 1, the new rates will be effective with retrospective effect. In addition, the Cabinet has decided to suspend payment of House Rent Allowance, HRA, and Transport Allowance, TA, for government employees for a period of six months. A fiscal commission is also to be set up to check the state's expenditure and resource. The Cabinet also approved launching of an online lottery scheme in order to augment the state's resources. It is reliably learnt that Delhi based M/S MWC Market Services Pvt Ltd will be entrusted with the running of proposed online lottery. According to reliable sources, though there were some objection from some of the Cabinet members, the idea of entrusting the lottery scheme to MWC Market Services received strong backing from some senior ministers. It is hoped that the lottery scheme can generate at least Rs 15 crore per annum for the state government. The Cabinet has also decided that all state government construction work should be handled only by the state PWD and the Manipur Police Housing Corporation. In addition, the Cabinet has agreed on payment of ex gratia amounting to Rs 1 lakh to the next kin of SC Sher, chief engineer of the Loktak Hydroelectric Project, who was killed by unknown persons last year. The family had demanded payment of Rs 2 lakh as ex gratia compensation.