Power price hike continuous process: Nasrul

State minister for power, energy and mineral resources Nasrul Hamid on Thursday told Parliament that price hike of electricity is a continuous process.

"It is a continuous process to increase or adjust the existing prices of electricity due to rise in production and management costs," he said replying to a tabled starred question from Awami League MP Habibur Rahman Mollah (Dhaka-5).

Nasrul said the collection rate of electricity bills was 98.20 per cent in fiscal 2015-16. The power system loss has reduced to 13.10 per cent from 16.85 per cent over the last few years, he added.

In reply to another starred question from AL MP Israfil Alam (Naogaon-6), the state minister informed the House that the average electricity generation is some 8,500-9,500 megawatt a day in the country. But the power production capacity is 15,379 megawatt a day.

Nasrul said the highest 50.89 per cent electricity is now used in household sector, while 34.28 per cent in industrial sector, 9.34 in commercial sector, 3.61 per cent in agricultural sector and 1.88 per cent in other sectors.

Replying to a starred question from ruling party MP Shamsul Hoque Chowdhury (Chittagong-12), the junior minister said some 2,740mcf (million cubic feet) gas is being extracted against the clients' demand of 3,400 mcf a day in the country.

The daily natural gas supply has increased by some 1010 mcf due to different steps taken by the present government in the last eight years from 2009 to 2017, Nasrul said.

Meanwhile, Industries Minister Amir Hossain Amu said there are 45 mills and factories run by the government in the country.

Of the mills and factories, 36 ones are now in operation, while the remaining nine mills or factories remain closed, he said replying to a starred question from AL MP Sanjida Khanam (Reserved Seat-24).

Source: unb