The Hon. (Dr.) Elayathamby Srinath

¶ 01 Hon. Presiding Member, thank you for the opportunity to speak in the Committee Stage debate on the very important Ministry of Power and Energy. We truly appreciate that this Budget allocates Rs. 1.1 billion for recurrent and Rs. 22 billion for capital expenditure to this Ministry, which has been pivotal to major changes in the recent period. Strengthening this Ministry enables steps towards economic stability and increasing national productivity. I welcome and commend the Ministry’s useful program proposals under these allocations.

¶ 02 I will focus on problems in my district, Batticaloa. Although more than 95% of the country is electrified through the CEB, a primary problem for new settlers or those building new houses in villages and local areas is obtaining electricity. Currently, to get a new connection one must pay at least over Rs. 40,000. For the poor and struggling, this is a heavy burden. In the past, assistance schemes eased this; I propose that, through this Ministry, similar programs be arranged to provide electricity to the poor.

¶ 03 When a new extension line is required, the CEB allocates only up to Rs. 400,000; if the estimated cost exceeds that in remote areas, applicants must bear it, which is onerous. Thus, many poor people cannot apply. I believe this issue exists islandwide; the Government must act through the Ministry to resolve it.

¶ 04 Farmers and small and medium entrepreneurs should receive concessions. Those engaging in commerce face major problems obtaining three-phase electricity. A measurement by a Chartered Engineer is required, but there is no pre-establishment assessment mechanism; after entrepreneurs set up premises and then request assessment, the transformer capacity is often insufficient. There appears to be no CEB program to prevent such situations. Without an upfront assessment system, entrepreneurs end up paying more later, reducing capital and making business start-up difficult. SMEs contribute significantly to the economy; if they face such hurdles at the start, they cannot proceed.

¶ 05 In Batticaloa, when new public buildings are constructed or new settlements arise, obtaining electricity is difficult if the site is far from existing lines.

¶ 06 There is also a severe CEB staffing shortage—Electrical Superintendents, meter readers, and other officers—across the Eastern Province. Recruited officers are frequently transferred shortly after appointment, leaving vacancies unfilled. When selecting staff in future, give priority to locals so they can serve continuously rather than being transferred out.

¶ 07 In several areas, additional transformers are needed but there are long waits. Farmers operating pumps simultaneously during the day face low voltage and cannot farm efficiently. Overall, to support economic development and livelihoods, multiple electricity needs must be addressed: staff shortages, transformer availability, access to three-phase supply, and solar-related issues.

¶ 08 At present, for solar with battery backup, the tariff is not stable. For 20 watts equivalent, the fee for battery backup is nearly three times the normal solar fee; generally, battery-backed solar costs about double the standard solar tariff, deterring uptake. Please consider revising this.

¶ 09 SMEs must be able to obtain electricity rapidly. There is a lack of clarity on the process and timelines for grid connections even though the Government has allocated significant funds to provide electricity to state institutions and temples. Applicants often find it difficult to secure transformers in villages and surrounding areas, and even urban areas face constraints due to high density.

¶ 10 Further, in Batticaloa, approvals for rooftop solar have been given on a small individual basis, but additional applications have been halted since last March. While the Government allocates funds for renewable energy, in Batticaloa both domestic and industrial users face difficulties in obtaining solar approvals.

¶ 11 Additionally, we need more fuel filling stations in the district. Some cooperative filling stations currently distribute only kerosene; they should be upgraded to provide petrol and diesel as well.