Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, May 11: Industrial bodies—PHDCCI J&K and AOI Gangyal today denounced the proposed average 17.74% power tariff hike for Jammu region and 12.46% for Kashmir region, and demanded its immediate rollback.
PHDCCI J&K Chairs in a joint statement demanded immediate rollback of proposed power tariff hike in domestic, industrial, commercial and agriculture categories. Chair PHDCCI Jammu Rahul Sahai said the power tariff hike will be an unbearable burden on the common people. He further added that even after enhancing the tariff, PDCL would neither be able to meet the revenue deficit nor the net revenue requirement of (FY 2022-23).
Baldev Singh Raina (Chair PHDCCI Kashmir) stated that this proposed power tariff hike would adversely affect domestic as well as industrial and commercial consumers. He requested the electricity regulatory commission to thoroughly examine the proposal of PDCL and spare the poor and middle-class domestic and existing industrial and service sector consumers from this unnecessary power hike as all economic sectors and people are already saddled with uncertainty.
“We request the UT administration to earmark the budget and additional funds as subsidy for electricity consumption by domestic and agriculture to neutralize the effect of increase in tariff. Also there should be announcement for free electricity for domestic consumers having monthly consumption upto 150 units,” Sahai added.
Meanwhile, Association of Industries (AOI) Gangyal in a meeting held under the chairmanship of its president Rajesh Jain, expressed shock over the Power Department towards industrial sector as the Department has filed a petition before JKSERC for hike in power tariff to the tune of approximately up to 70 % and fixed charges for 30% approximately. However, the Government press release depicted only 12 % to 17 % hike, thus misleading public and higher authorities in the Government.
Members said that hike of 70 % in one go has never been seen anywhere in the country by any utility provider. It seems as if industry of J&K is an eyesore for Power Department, which is hell bent upon ruining the industrial sector of the UT which is already under stress. They said industrial sector of the UT due to various reasons including Covid-19 pandemic is already in dilapidated condition and such power tariff hike shall lead to closure of industry, resulting in unemployment of lakhs of workers along with entrepreneurs.
AOI appealed LG Manoj Sinha to come to rescue to the industrial sector of J&K and give instructions to the concerned authorities to disallow such power hike.
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