Commenting on recent hike in power tariff, the leader of Opposition Ajay Bhatt said the decision of the State Government has given another jerk to the people who are already facing the brunt of price rise. They have raised the power tariff from 10 paise to 50 paise, which means everybody including poor to middle class people will have to bear its brunt.
The hiked price will not illuminate the consumers’ house but will force them to switch off their lights. During summer season, the people use more electricity for which they will now have to pay more in order to stay in comfort.
The residents of rural and remote areas get inconsistent supply of electricity. Instead of taking corrective measures, the State has raised the price of electricity. It shows that State Government is least concerned about the public grievances otherwise they would not have increased the price, rued Bhatt.
The people in most of the areas are facing power cut and now price hike will double their frustration. On the one hand, the State Government is making several announcements about the development works and on the other hand they have been increasing the price of necessary commodity. If they are really concern about the people then they would have taken corrective measures to provide 24x7 power supply to the consumer to justify the hike.
For instance, the State has withdrawn the VAT relief on diesel and petrol. With this, the prices of petrol and diesel have already gone up in the State.
Uttarakhand, which was known as power surplus State has turned into a power-deficit State and now, it is failing to attract industries with even the existing industries packing up because of power cuts.
For instance furnace needs round the clock power supply so they are wrapping their unit from the State. When industries come, then they create employment and when they wrap then people lose their livelihood. As per the rough estimate, the State needs 600 MW power to provide 24x7 power supply because 100 MW power requirements are increasing every year.
If they failed to take the right decision, then power situation would go out of control and we will have to spend millions of rupees to purchase the power outside the State. Currently, the State is buying power worth of Rs800 crore per annum from open market so there is need to make long term policy for energy procurement.
Even they should make long term MoU with gas based power plant then we can cope up with the power demand.