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Relief for power consumers

NEW DELHI: A day after the Delhi Electricity Regulatory Commission decided to increase power tariff, Power Minister Ashok Walia on Sunday categorically stated that domestic and agricultural consumers would be exempted from the proposed hike as the Government had frozen tariffs for these two categories at the 2004-05 level.

Keen to safeguard the interests of electricity consumers in Delhi in this election year, Dr. Walia said the Government would bear the entire amount of the marginal increase announced by DERC and ensure that domestic and agricultural consumers were not subjected to any hike.

Underlining the need for maintaining a status quo for domestic and agricultural consumers, the Power Minister said: “The Government will release an appropriate subsidy to ensure no power tariff hike for domestic and agricultural consumers. In fact, power rates have been brought down for consumers who restrict their monthly consumption to 150 and 200 units during non-peak and peak months respectively. These consumers would be charged Re. 1 less at Rs.1.20 per unit.”

According to Dr. Walia, this step would not only provide relief to families with limited power consumption but also encourage others to conserve electricity by limiting their consumption to remain within the eligibility criteria for availing themselves of the subsidy.

“Over 10 lakh consumers will benefit from this scheme. The Power Department has intensified its monitoring activities to ensure uninterrupted power supply to Delhi. Committees have been set up at the Assembly constituencies level to take stock of deficiencies in supply and the elected representatives are also being apprised of ground level realities. Uninterrupted power supply and status quo in respect of power tariff will be possible with fast reduction in Aggregate Transmission and Commercial losses,” he added.

The Delhi Cabinet had on February 22 decided to freeze the power tariff and consequently release subsidy to ensure no power tariff hike for the domestic and agricultural categories.

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