Uttar Pradesh Power Corporation limited (UPPCl) has proposed a hefty hike in tariff in the state, recommending around 300 per cent rise in the bills of rural consumers and 12 per cent hike in urban domestic consumers.
The Corporation has however spared industries from the hike. If the proposals of UPPCl filed in the annual revenue requirement (ARR) are accepted by the Power Regulator, it will result in 22.66 per cent increase hike in power tariff charged by the UPPCl.
This will be the highest increase in tariff by UPPCl in the last 17 years of its existence. During the five year regime of Samajwadi Party, there was a hike of around 50 per cent in the tariff.
The UP Rajya Vidyut Upbhokta Parishad said in a statement on Tuesday that UPPCl has sought hike in tariff of unmetered rural consumer from Rs 180 per kilowatt per month to Rs 650 per kilowatt and for over two kilowatt rate of Rs 200 per month it will now be Rs 800 per month.
An officer beraer said that a Parishad delegation met Chairman of UP Electricity Regulatory Commission Desh Deepak Verma in lucknow and demanded that the ARR filed by UPPCl be rejected.
As per the ARR, the rural metered consumers who are paying Rs 50 per month per kilowatt and Rs 2.20 per unit would have to pay Rs 85 per kilowatt and Rs 4.40 per unit for consumption up to 150 units and Rs 4.95 per unit for consumption between 151 to 300 units and Rs 6.20 per unit above 500 units consumption per month.
Unmetered farmers paying Rs 100 per BHP per month on running tube wells would now have to pay Rs 160 per month.
The tariff for domestic consumers in urban areas is also proposed to be revised. The per kilowatt charge of Rs 90 per month would be hiked to Rs 100 and for consumption of first 150 units and the tariff will be revised from Rs 4.40 per unit to Rs 4.90 per unit.
The tariff for consumption of 151 to 300 units would increase to Rs 5.40 per unit from present Rs 4.95 and from 301 to 500 units which is Rs 5.60 per unit would go up to Rs 6.20 per unit. For consumption above 500 units the tariff per unit would be Rs 6.70 from the existing Rs 6.20 per unit.