In order to give relief to steel units, the Chhattisgarh State Electricity Regulatory Commission (CSERC) has given special subsidy to steel units which has kept the power tariff low as compared to other states in the country , a Chhattisgarh State Power Distribution Company ltd (CSPDCl) press release informed here on Thursday.
Currently power tariff in Maharashtra is Rs 8.38 per unit , in Maharashtra(Jalana) Rs 6.98, in Maharashtra (Vidarbha region) Rs 6.58, in Telangana Rs 7.83, in Punjab Rs 6.55, in Andhra Pradesh Rs 6.50, in Gujarat Rs 6.29 and in Chhattisgarh is Rs 5.91 per unit over 70 per cent load factor, it informed.
CSPDCl Managing Director Ankit Anand maintained that the State Government has been keeping a close watch over the condition of steel market which is passing through recession and in order to strengthen them financially and do cut down their cost, electricity duty has been reduced from 6 per cent to 3 per cent which would be effective from April 1, 2016.
This reduction of duty would provide them relief by 28 paisa per unit.
He further said that average billing rate has been kept low as compared the average supply rate. Today the average billing rate for steel industry (over 70 per cent load factor and leaving cess and duty) is 5.91 per unit in Chhattisgarh which is lower in comparison to other states.
The Coal India limited has increased charges Rs 200/- per tonne as additional Green Cess from April 1, 2016 alongwith Rs 110 per tonne on grade 11 coal charges effective from June 1, 2016. As a result, 37 paise per unit as VCA charge is likely to be increased.
The total impact of the above would be Rs 190 crore and would be realised through domestic and steel industries.