LUCKNOW, June 18: Domestic and rural power consumers of Uttar Pradesh could feel a respite this year, as there would be no hike in the power tariff besides could get some chanes of benefits in this election year. The new power tariff is expected to be implemented from first week of July. As the assembly elections are just over six months ahead hence, the Samajwadi Party government in the state would not go for major hike in tariff rate. UP Power Corporation Limited(UPPCL) in its Annual Revenue Requirement(ARR) submitted with the UP state electricity regularity commission has not sought any hike in the domestic or rural tariff. However, UPPCL has recommended average hike in the commercial tariff which is under consideration of the Regularity Commission. There is a proposal to hike the commercial tariff by 10 to 18 per cent. The domestic consumer could also get some benefit like increase of rebate from point 5 per cent to 2 per cent for the consumers who pay their bills timely besides other benefits to prevent power theft and to reduce the line losses. UPPCL sources here today said that the ARR is before the regularity Commission and a decision is likely to be made by next week. ” After the publication of the approved tariff by the Regularity Commission, the new tariff would be implemented within a week time,” sources said. Meanwhile,UP Rajya Vidyut Upbhokta Parishad chairman Awadhesh Kumar Verma said here that the consumer can get several benefits in the new tariff which is under consideration by the regularity commission. Mr Verma ,who is also the member of the Tariff Simplification Committee set up by the regularity Commission, said that he has moved several proposals including end of the fix charge and regularity charges in the new tariff for domestic and rural consumers. Besides for the commercial consumers, Mr Verma has moved proposal to withdraw the minimum charges and system loading charges. ” We are expected the Regularity Commission to take the decisions on the proposals next week before announcing the new tariff rate of the state,” he said. In the last financial year of 2015-16,UP Electricity Regulatory Commission had hiked the power tariff for domestic consumers to around 17 per cent. Similarly, the tariff increase last year for industries, commercial and agricultural connections, on the other hand, were 5.4 per cent, 5.16 per cent and 11.97 per cent, respectively. (UNI)
Trending Now
E-Paper
Follow our WhatsApp channel