Odisha Govt Assures To Reconsider Power Tariff Hike

Bhubaneswar: After coming under fire from various quarters for raising the electricity tariff, the State government on Wednesday said it will urge the Odisha Electricity Regulatory Commission to reconsider the hike.

The OERC recently approved a minimal rise of 30 paise per kWh/kVAh in energy charges for all other category of consumers for the financial year 2021-22.

In his statement in the State Assembly, Energy Minister Dibya Shankar Mishra said the government will urge the OERC to reconsider the hike in energy charges.

Earlier in the day, the Opposition BJP and Congress stalled the proceedings of the State assembly demanding a rollback in the power tariff hike.

“The Odisha Electricity Regulatory Commission (OERC) has hiked 30 paise per unit at the behest of Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik. At a time, when common people are finding it hard to arrange square meal for them during Covid times, power tariff hike is very unfortunate. Congress will hit the streets against it,” Congress MLA Tara Prasad Bahinipati said.

BJP MLA and Opposition Chief Whip Mohan Majhi said. “This is the second time that the State government has given an electric shock to the common man. Youths lost their jobs during Covid-19 pandemic and the State government has failed to provide them work. During such a precarious time, power tariff hike is ill-fated. We demand its immediate rollback.”

The tariff revision which will be effective from April 4 amounts to 5.60 % rise in the overall retail supply tariff.

As per the revised tariff, consumers now will have to shell out Rs 3 per unit for the first 50 units of power consumption, Rs 4.80 per unit for consumption above 50 units up to 200 units. If consumers use the electricity between 200 to 400 units, they will have to pay Rs 5.80 per unit and on the consumption of more than 400 units, they will have to pay Rs 6.20 per unit.

It is also announced a two per cent rebate on the bill to the LT domestic and single-phase general-purpose category of consumers who pay through digital means. The rebate will be applicable to all pre-paid costumers.

(Edited By Suryakant Jena)