AP govt set to give power tariff shock
HYDERABAD: The Andhra Pradesh government is likely to administer a 'power shock' to the electricity consumers across the State very soon.
The State government is expected to resort to this step after the ensuing Sankranti festival, soon after doling out gift packs to the downtrodden people before the festival to keep them in good humour, besides conducting the festival as a State function for three days.
Dropping enough hints to this effect, the AP State Cabinet reportedly asked the AP Electricity Regulatory Commission (APERC) to submit its proposals with regard to power tariff hike by January 9.
Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu reportedly told his ministerial colleagues that there is no option for the government but to increase the power tariff due to the increasing cost of coal and other overhead charges for generating and borrowing electricity from other States to meet the growing demand.
After Naidu left the Cabinet meeting by making this statement, his colleagues reportedly at first opposed the proposal. But, later a majority of them agreed to it, saying that this be done only after Sankranti festival.
According to sources, the government is planning to increase the power tariff for those consumers whose power consumption exceeds 100 units a month. The hike is likely to be between 15 to 30 per cent.
'The power charges are expected to be hiked after Sankranti as the tariff was not revised last year. It will be a minimum of Rs.1.50 to Rs.2 hike per unit. Those who consume more than 500 units power a month may have to cough up more per unit,' said official sources.
Interestingly, the government is all set to administer power shock to the consumers after holding the ensuing Sankranti celebrations for three days from 14 to 16 on a grand scale from village level to State level.
The AP government, which appears to be competing with its Telangana counterpart in each move, seems to have decided to organise Sankranti in a flamboyant manner as the TS government had recently conducted the Dasara festival by organising Bathukamma festival in every nook and cranny of the new State.
'The State government has set up a ministerial panel to oversee the arrangements for conducting the Sankranti festival as a State festival,' IT minister said.
News Posted: 3 January, 2015
|
