JAIPUR
Rajasthan: No increase in power tariff to lessen heat on middle class
Although the move has been aimed to woo voters, still it’s a welcome relief
Updated : May 30, 2018, 06:05 AM IST
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While rising prices seem to have become a norm, the news that there won’t be any rise in the electricity rates for the current financial year 2018-19 has come as a much needed relief. Electricity Regulator Rajasthan Electricity Regulatory Commission (RERC) gave approval of the same to the state’s electricity distribution companies on Tuesday. While this is a welcome news for the consumers across the state, in a first Jaipur Discom has declared a surplus of Rs 652 crore.
In the month of March this year, the three discoms Jaipur, Jodhpur and Ajmer discom had filed a petition in RERC for Annual Revenue Requirement in which they had said that they won’t be initiating any rise in electricity tariff this year, instead they had said that they will reduce their losses to increase the revenue.
This will be the second consecutive year when there won’t be any rise in the electricity bills during the current BJP government.
The last revision was done in September 2016 when the tariff was increased by around 12 per cent on an average across various categories. During the period from January 2005 to August 2011 no tariffs were increased.
However, from September 2011 tariff was regularly increased. During last four years, looking to improve the working efficiency of discoms and UDAY Scheme, tariff has been revised only twice once on February 20 in 2015 and thereafter in September 2016. In the current petition, discoms had proposed certain rationalisation measures in order to facilitate better utilisation of resources, economic pricing and better revenue management.
Discoms have also submitted that loss reduction targets have been prepared at the division/circle/zonal level and concerned officials have been made responsible for achieving the loss reduction targets.
This year being an election year, rise in power tariff can hit back. Few months back, PHED had to roll back the rise in water tariff after opposition from the people.
Surplus declared
In a first, Jaipur Discom has declared a surplus of Rs 652 crore. Earlier, discoms Jaipur, Jodhpur and Ajmer discom had filed a petition in RERC for Annual Revenue Requirement in which they had said that they won’t be initiating any rise in electricity tariff this year, instead they had said that they will reduce their losses to increase
the revenue.
