Chhattisgarh: Power tariff hiked by 2.31%; BJP slams Cong govt

The Chhattisgarh State Electricity Regulatory Commission (CSERC) on Wednesday announced an average hike in power tariff by 2.31 per cent for all categories of consumers for the financial year 2022-23. An average hike of 2.31 per cent in power tariff over the previous rates has been done across all consumer categories, said S P Shukla, Secretary of CSERC.

The new tariffs have been made effective from April onwards, it was stated. The CSERC had revised the power tariff in August last year after a gap of three years, with an average hike of 37 paise (6.19 per cent) per unit. The electricity services are managed by five state-run companies for holding, generation, transmission, distribution and trading, in the state.

For domestic consumers, the tariff has been increased by 10 paise per unit in all categories of power consumption. For example, for the consumption slab below 100 units per month, constituting 64 per cent of total consumers, the tariff has been increased from existing Rs 3.60 to Rs 3.70 per unit, an official statement said. Similarly, 15 paise per unit hike has been made in all categories of non-domestic consumers.

Also read: Maharashtra stares at first power crisis in nearly 10 years

For 220 kV and 132 kV high voltage steel industries, Rs 5 paise per unit hike has been made. A rebate of per cent on energy charges shall be applicable for poha and murmura mills under LV-5 category as it is being given under HV-5 category. To encourage environment-friendly transport system, tariffs for electric vehicle charging units will continue to be Rs 5 per unit as earlier.

The discount in power surcharge to medical establishments in tribal and rural areas will continue to be 7 per cent in power tariff. In order to expand telecommunication connectivity in naxal-affected areas, 50 per cent rebate on power surcharge on mobile towers to be installed after April 1, 2019 in those areas, will be continued, it said.

Domestic consumers will continue to benefit from the state government's half rebate in the electricity bill scheme, it was stated. Slamming the ruling Congress for the hike, former Chief Minister and BJP national vice-president Raman Singh said, “The Congress was elected to power after they promised to provide rebate in electricity tariff. But now the Bhupesh Baghel government has been giving shocks one after another to people." “A hike in power tariff will burden people. They will not tolerate this betrayal and will teach a lesson to the Congress in the next year's Assembly election,” he added.

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