The Siddaramaiah government, which promised free electricity in the state ahead of the 2023 assembly elections in Karnataka, has increased electricity rates. Now Rs 2.89 more per unit will have to be paid in the electricity bill in the state. This increased rate will be applicable to those consumers who consume more than 200 units of electricity in a month. On Monday (June 5, 2023), the state government has also issued due orders in this regard.
According to media reports, the increased rates were to be implemented in March this year, which could not be done due to some reason. In the latest order, the Government of Karnataka gave instructions for the implementation of this order on the implementation of Griha Jyoti Yojana. However, in these new instructions, free electricity has also been guaranteed to all families who spend less than 200 units of electricity in a month. Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s statement has also come on these increased rates. He termed the decision as one taken by the Karnataka Electricity Regulatory Commission (KERC). According to CM Siddaramaiah, there was no interference of the state government in this decision.
After promising free electricity to Kannadigas, electricity prices in Karnataka hiked by Rs 2.89 per unit.
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Siddaramaiah said, “We have not taken any decision to increase power tariffs. This is the decision of the Karnataka Electricity Regulatory Authority which was already decided. We are just implementing it.” To provide 200 units of free electricity to the consumers, according to KJ George, Energy Minister of the Government of Karnataka, Rs 13,000 crore would be needed annually. Preparations are on to bring 96% electricity consumers in the state under this scheme.
Many people of Karnataka are also finding the electricity bill in the month of June to be at higher rates. On this issue, a senior engineer of the electricity department has told that he was ordered to deposit the dues of May as well as April. For this reason, some people are finding the June bill heavy. The official claims that this situation will become normal in a few months.
Let us inform that even in Congress-ruled Himachal Pradesh, the state government has increased the electricity rates by 86 paise per unit. These increased rates are applicable for the financial year 2023-24. In February this year, the Himachal Pradesh State Electricity Board Limited (HPSEBL) had proposed a hike of 86 paise per unit in electricity rates for the financial year 2023-24. In Himachal Pradesh, up to 125 units of electricity per month is free for domestic consumers, which the Congress government had promised to increase to 300 units.
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