The Centre will soon announce a power tariff policy to ensure that states have a uniform approach towards fixing electricity tariff, Power Secretary R V Shahi said on Tuesday.

The decision has been taken on the recommendations of the parliamentary standing committee, which went into the Electricity Bill 2001, Shahi said in his address at India Energy Mart 2003, organised jointly by the Independent Power Producers Association of India in association with the ministries of coal and mines, power and petroleum.

The Bill would be taken up for passage during the coming Budget session of Parliament, he said.

Meanwhile, the government is also considering announcing the tariff policy under the existing provisions before the passage of the Bill, he said.

Although the move would not ensure uniform power tariff across the country, it would facilitate observance of similar norms by state regulatory commissions, which are at present following different norms.

In order to overcome the power shortage during peak hours, the Centre has suggested charging a higher tariff for peak periods to discourage consumption.

The Centre has also been urging the states to enact anti-theft legislation to bring down transmission and distribution losses, which are as high as 60 per cent in places like New Delhi.

UNI