Sri Lanka Electricity Board (CEB) has been running at a loss for many decades and a proper plan has to be initiated to reduce generation cost with more renewable energy.
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has recommended shortcomings of the CEB be rectified to make it into a profit making service for the benefit of the people.
While acknowledging that an electricity tariff hike is needed, any decision to increase electricity tariffs, pretending to be compliant with IMF conditions will not bring any benefit to the country. Because all factors that caused CEB to be a mismanaged state entity will remain unattended; citing a metaphor embedded in a Tamil proverb, is like “hiding a huge pumpkin in a handful of cooked rice”.
In this sinario, Sri Lankan government adding 2.5% Social Security Contribution Tax on an already in place Electricity Tariff on the monthly electricity bill, will only result in people facing hardships; more so those economically backward in all round the country!
Northern Breeze 