Power tariffs hiked in Rajasthan

The Rajasthan government has hiked power tariffs by around 10.5 per cent for all categories of users. Rajasthan's Energy Minister Gajendra Singh Kheemswar, while announcing this here at a press conference, said the increase in tariff would be applicable from May 1.

The minister said the previous government in 1999 had increased tariffs by an average rate of 18 per cent and they were further raised by 17 per cent in 2001. "We have hiked tariffs only by 10.5 per cent, which, after various relief packages, turn out to only 8.5 per cent for the consumers".

The domestic consumers are hit the most. For them, power tariffs have been increased by almost 31 per cent. However, while accepting that the tariffs for domestic consumers had been hiked the most, the minister said these had been the lowest ever increase in the past six years.

He said in 1999 the power tariffs for domestic consumers were raised by 38 per cent, from 112 paise to 155 paise per unit and further to 170 paise in 2001. "We have increased it by 31 per cent, which includes fixed charges ranging between Rs 50 and Rs 80 per month," the minister said.

The energy minister said the previous government had raised the power tariff for agricultural consumers from 50 paise per unit to 70 paise per unit in 1999 and then again in 2001 to 90 paise per unit.

This was a hike of 80 per cent in three years. "We, on the other hand, have raised the tariff for agro users by 22 per cent and this hike has come after four years," he added.

The minister also announced various relief packages for consumers below the poverty line and rural areas. Minor relief packages in power tariffs were also made for small farmers and industries, he said.

The minister said the state government had also taken up work on improving 8,475 feeders at Rs 4,000 crore all over the state to curb transmission and distribution (T&D) losses.

"This is primarily aimed at giving an improved and continuous power supply to domestic consumers," he said.

The state had T&D losses of 40 per cent and the state government's endeavour was to bring them down to 20 per cent, the minister said.