DMK, Congress stage walkout from Puducherry Assembly over government’s favourable stand on privatisation of Electricity Department

“The government’s policy is in favour of privatisation of the department. The case is already in court and the decision will be based on its outcome,” Home Minister A. Namassivayam said in the Assembly on Monday

The principal Opposition party, DMK and its alliance partner, Congress, on Monday staged a walkout from the Puducherry Assembly following the statement of Home Minister A. Namassivayam that the Puducherry government was in favour of the privatisation of the Electricity Department.

Replying to a question by Opposition leader R. Siva on the functioning of the department, the Home Minister said the government was in favour of privatisation but the decision was subject to the outcome of the case in the Madras High Court.

“The government’s policy is in favour of privatisation of the department. The case is already in court and the decision will be based on its outcome,” Mr. Namassivayam said when Mr. Siva pressed for a statement from the Minister on the government’s stand on privatisation.

Mr. Namassivayam, who also holds the Electricity portfolio, said the privatisation would not lead to a situation where the land owned by the department would go into the hands of the private management. “Even if privatisation happens, it will be only for operation and maintenance of power. The land will remain in the hands of government,” he added.

The Minister said the department has movable assets worth ₹551 crore. The value of the assets was based on an audit. The department had to recover arrears to the tune of ₹536 crore, he said, adding that the recovery of the arrears would be the responsibility of the government alone. The department has also deposits to the tune of ₹257 crore, he said.

As a mark of protest over the government’s favourable stand on privatisation, the DMK and Congress legislators staged a walkout.