The State Government on Monday said it would file a review petition with the Odisha Electricity Regulatory Commission (OERC) seeking withdrawal of the decision of 40-paise per unit power tariff hike for agriculture. "Keeping in mind the debates and discussions in the House during its current session on the electricity tariff hike and the sense of the House, the Energy Department will file a review petition before the OERC to roll back/withdraw increased tariff pertaining to agriculture. The OERC will be requested to adjust it through cross subsidy in the tariff order," Energy Minister Pranab Prakash Das said in the House.
Following the Energy Minister's announcement, Opposition Congress said it would cooperate in the proceedings of the House now. "We were mainly opposing the burdening of farmers besides opposing the hike in power tariff for people belonging to the Below Poverty line. We had been demanding complete rollback of the hike. Since the Government has conceded to some, we will cooperate in the proceedings of the House," leader of the Opposition Narasingh Mishra told mediapersons outside the House. The BJP said the State Government has bowed down and has changed its direction. "We are still unhappy because we have been demanding complete rollback of power tariff hike for the poor people which are yet to be accepted by the Government. The BJP will continue with its demand," said BJP MlA Rabi Nayak.
