ElectricityTariff – Congress Plans Statewide Agitation Over Chhattisgarh Power Rate Increase
ElectricityTariff – The Congress has announced a series of protests across Chhattisgarh after the recent increase in electricity tariffs approved by the state’s power regulator. The opposition party has accused the BJP-led government of placing additional financial pressure on consumers at a time when many households are already facing rising utility expenses.
Power Tariff Revision to Take Effect in July
The Chhattisgarh State Electricity Regulatory Commission (CSERC) approved an average electricity tariff increase of 6.23 percent on Monday. The revised rates will come into effect from July 1 and will apply to all categories of consumers across the state.
According to the revised structure, domestic consumers will pay an additional 30 to 50 paise per unit, while non-domestic users will see an increase ranging from 20 to 40 paise per unit. Agricultural pump connection holders will also face a rise of 40 paise per unit. However, the commission has continued several existing concessions for women’s self-help groups, healthcare institutions, and residents of tribal regions.
Congress Announces Protest Programme
Addressing reporters on Tuesday, Chhattisgarh Congress president Deepak Baij said the party strongly opposes the latest tariff revision. He announced that Congress workers will stage demonstrations outside electricity department offices in all district headquarters on June 17.
Baij also stated that district-level press conferences will be organized on June 18 to highlight the party’s objections to the tariff hike and to raise awareness among consumers regarding the issue.
Door-to-Door Campaign Planned
As part of its broader campaign, the Congress intends to launch a door-to-door outreach programme during the first week of July. Through this initiative, party workers will collect applications from residents demanding the withdrawal of smart electricity meters.
The party leadership believes that public participation will strengthen its campaign against policies it claims have increased the burden on electricity consumers.
Allegations of Repeated Price Increases
Baij alleged that this is the fifth electricity tariff increase since the BJP government assumed office in December 2023. According to him, repeated revisions have significantly affected ordinary consumers who are already struggling with higher monthly bills.
He further claimed that a fuel surcharge of 12 percent had previously been imposed on electricity bills and asserted that the cumulative increase in power tariffs since the current government took charge has reached 31.23 percent.
Comparison With Previous Government
The Congress leader contrasted the current tariff policy with that of the previous Congress administration. He stated that during its five-year tenure, electricity tariffs saw only a marginal increase while consumers also benefited from the half-electricity-bill scheme for usage up to 400 units.
According to Baij, the present government has failed to address growing complaints from consumers regarding electricity billing and service-related issues.
Concerns Over Billing and Supply
The Congress has alleged that many consumers have recently received electricity bills that are substantially higher than their usual charges. Baij claimed that in some instances, discrepancies were noticed between online and offline bills issued for the same billing period.
He further alleged that more than 45 lakh consumers across Chhattisgarh received unusually high electricity bills in June. Alongside concerns about billing, he also raised the issue of power outages and questioned the government’s ability to ensure uninterrupted electricity supply.
Demand for Withdrawal of Smart Meters
Baij identified three major factors contributing to consumer dissatisfaction: increased electricity tariffs, the discontinuation of the half-electricity-bill scheme, and the installation of smart meters.
He urged the state government to reconsider the smart meter programme and withdraw its implementation. The Congress leader also referred to developments in Uttar Pradesh, claiming that the state had moved to reverse the installation of such meters.