The Congress party has criticized the Sai government’s decision to end the electricity bill halving scheme, calling it an oppressive measure against the public. The scheme has now been restricted to only those consuming up to 100 units of electricity, thus excluding a significant number of consumers. Previously, even with higher consumption, the initial 400 units were billed at a reduced rate. The Congress party is protesting this change.
The previous Congress government launched the electricity bill halving scheme, providing relief to electricity consumers for five years, even in adverse conditions. The scheme benefitted about 44 lakh households, leading to savings of roughly 40,000 to 50,000 rupees per consumer. The earlier scheme covered almost all consumers in the state, offering discounted rates for the first 400 units.
Furthermore, the government recently increased electricity prices for the fourth time. Domestic rates increased by 10 to 20 paise per unit, and non-domestic rates increased by 25 paise per unit. The highest increase was for agricultural pumps, with a rise of 50 paise per unit. The Sai government has raised domestic electricity rates by a cumulative 80 paise per unit in the past year and a half. Since the BJP government took office, the public is reportedly facing electricity shortages, experiencing power cuts, and dealing with low voltage, in stark contrast to the Congress government’s provision of a continuous 24-hour electricity supply, which was supplemented by electricity purchases from other states during periods of high demand.