Panel okays proposed law providing poor with cheaper electricity
Knesset Economics Committee votes in favor of draft drawn up with IEC cooperation.
By Ruth SinaiThe Knesset Economics Committee on Tuesday finalized its draft for a law that will provide cheapened electricity to those in need by raising electricity prices for the general public by 0.8 percent.
Panel chairman MK Moshe Kahlon (Likud) said: "we have this opportunity to give out a [Passover] holiday present to the elderly and needy."
Israel is following the lead of a number of Western countries, such as Italy and Britain, which offer similar discounts to its less affluent citizens. In Italy, electricity prices are determined according to one's medical age, income and age.
The proposal was drawn up with cooperation of Israel Electrical Corporation (IEC) and the Ministry of Infrastructure.
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Why not do away with the free electricity of the employees,just give them a slight discount and use the savings to lower the electricity bills for all of the citizens of Israel? This is the only country in the world that allows its electricity company workers free power,while claiming the need to raise fees for power because they are paying more to generate it! We the public are tired of the electric company complaining and raising our fees while their employees get free power and abuse it, take away their free power and lower the fees for us all!