City
Epaper

Electricity tariff hiked in Kerala, opposition cries foul

By IANS | Updated: July 8, 2019 18:00 IST

Acting on the request of the Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB), the Kerala State Electricity Regulatory Commission on Monday hiked the electricity charges across all segments of consumers, with the domestic sector feeling the pinch of hike to the extent of as high as 11.4 per cent.

Open in App

Addressing media here, Commission chairman Preman Dinaraj said that there will be no increase of those consumers who use 40 units or less per month and besides there would be no hike for those in the below poverty line category.

"Those who use 100 units a month will see their bill go up from Rs 345 to Rs 387 and those consuming 200 units will see their bill go up by Rs 97... in the 500 unit category, it would go up by Rs 250," he said.

Dinaraj said this hike would come into effect from Monday and it would be for the next three years.

The last time the tariff was raised was in 2017.

Leader of Opposition Ramesh Chennithala termed the hike "a slap on the face of the people of Kerala".

"Approximately the hike would be in the range of Re 0.40 per unit and this could have been easily avoided had the KSEB taken steps to recover the Rs 3,000 crore pending bills from various consumers including state government bodies," he said.

But defending the hike, senior CPI-M leader A. Anandan said that despite the hike, the tariff in Kerala continues to be the lowest among other states.

"The outstanding bills of public utilities has turned out to be a burden for the common man. But then there is no other option," he said.

( With inputs from IANS )

Tags: A Anandankeralacommission
Open in App

Related Stories

MumbaiMumbai: ISKCON Temple in Girgaon Receives Bomb Threat Email; Police Launch Probe

EntertainmentVS Achuthanandan Passes Away: Former Kerala Chief Minister Dies at 101

NationalVS Achuthanandan Passes Away: Former Kerala Chief Minister and Veteran CPI(M) Leader Dies at 101

InternationalIndian Woman and 1.5-Year-Old Infant Found Dead in UAE; Husband, In-Laws Booked for Dowry Harassment

NationalNipah Virus in Kerala: 57-Year-Old Man Tests Positive for Nipah in Palakkad Day After Death

कारोबार Realted Stories

BusinessAtal Innovation Mission and Bhashini sign pact to drive vernacular innovation across India

BusinessFIEO calls for enhancing diversification as Trump tariff likely to impact 55 per cent of India's exports to US

BusinessCM Fadnavis reviews impact of US tariff hikes in Maharashtra

BusinessSignature Global's Q1 net profit drops 44 pc

BusinessBSE’s Q1 net profit doubles to Rs 539 crore, revenue jumps 59 pc