Cong to launch jail bharo andolan on power tariff hike

Raipur, March 12, 2012

Congress has warned the government of launching jail bharo andolan if power tariff would be hiked. The PCC spokesperson Sushil Anand Shukla said that the Congress would continue its movement against the government unless the decision to hike power tariff is cancelled.

He alleged that the ruling BJP had ulterior motive in hike power tariff as it aimed to collect sufficient fund for next polls by denting the pockets of the consumers.

“The budget of Chhattisgarh State Power Transmission Company Limited (CSPTCL) has been illogically raised by 200 times after the power companies came into existence. The Energy department did it with an intention to encourage corruption in CSPTCL,” Shukla charged.

“Huge corruption is being done in sale-purchase of electricity as a consequence of which the power companies are incurring loss. Now, the government wants to compensate the corruption in power companies by exploiting the consumers,” he further alleged.

“The proposed power tariff plan has been apparently prepared to benefit industrialists and to incommode domestic consumers and farmers. According to the plan, the tariff for domestic consumers and farmers will be hiked 100% and 184% respectively while that of industrialists will be increased by only 60%. This is injustice to the common people including farmers and the Congress would not let it happen,” he said.

“By far, the power tariff for domestic purpose was Rs 1.80 per unit. The rate was applicable up to 100-200 units. If the tariff will be hiked then the rate will Rs 3.50 per unit up to 100-200 units. Similarly, the previous rate from 200-500 units was Rs 2.40 per unit while the new rate will be Rs 5 per unit. Earlier, the rate about 500 units was Rs 3.10 per unit but the hiked rate will be Rs 6 per unit,” Shukla elaborated.

“The farmers, who were getting electricity at the rate of Rs 1.10 per unit, will get power at the rate of Rs 3.10 per unit according to proposed plan. The farmers of the state are already facing financial crisis and now by increasing power tariff, the government wants to break their backbone. Unfortunately, this government had once promised the farmers to provide free electricity, but is now compelling them to purchase expensive power,” he added.