Thaindian News

Jaipur, Aug 9 (IANS) People in Rajasthan are up in arms against the hike in power tariff saying it would put more burden on them, especially at a time of rising prices of essentials.

The Rajasthan Electricity Regulatory Commission Wednesday revised the tariff for different categories of consumers on the plea of three public sector discoms of Jaipur, Ajmer and Jodhpur that they are suffering huge losses.

A senior electricity department officer told IANS that domestic consumers using more then 300 units of electricity would have to pay Rs.5.15 per unit. The tariff was Rs.4.35 per unit earlier.

Similarly, consumers who use less then 50 units will have to spend Rs.3 per unit, as against the Rs.2.50 per unit earlier.

Those consuming electricity from 51-150 units per month will face a 65-paise hike per unit as the tariff has been increased from Rs.4 to Rs.4.65.

Consumers using 150-300 units per month will have to pay Rs.4.85 per unit which was earlier Rs.4.15.

Power tariff has been hiked for the industrial units also up to 50 paise per unit.

The revised tariff will be effective after publication of the order’s salient features by the discoms in their respective areas.

This is the second time this year the tariff has been hiked. The last tariff revision was made by the Commission in September last year.

“The electricity bill is going to burn a huge hole in the pocket,” said Madhusudan Singh, a resident of Sodala area in Jaipur.

Another resident, Kushumita Sharma, said: “It has become quite hard to cope with rising prices of grocery items. Inflation is at an all-time high. Power hike would make it worse.”