The Hindu : New Delhi News : Relief for power consumers

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Feb 26, 2008
ePaper | Mobile/PDA Version

New Delhi

New Delhi

Relief for power consumers

Staff Reporter

No tariff hike for domestic, agricultural categories in Delhi

NEW DELHI: A day after the Delhi Electricity Regulatory Commission decided to increase power tariff, Power Minister Ashok Walia has 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,” he added.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

New Delhi