Up to 98% hike in Jharkhand's domestic electricity tariff

Jharkhand has hiked the electricity tariff for domestic consumers up to 98 per cent and slightly reduced the tariff for commercial industries, the State Regulatory Board said on Saturday.

As per the new rates, domestic consumers will have to pay Rs 5.50 per unit for 200 units as compared to earlier Rs 3 per unit, while the tariff has been reduced to Rs 6 from the existing RS 6.80 per unit for the commercial industries.

Chief Minister Raghubar Das said that new tariffs were being imposed to improve the state's power system.

He said that the poor workers, farmers and small traders would be provided subsidy by the state government and an announcement in this regard would be made soon.

In rural areas, the new tariff has been set at Rs 4.40 from the existing 1.25 per unit.

The farmers too have to foot more bills as Rs 5 per unit will be charged for irrigation from existing 70 paise-Rs 1.25 per unit.

Criticising the tariff hike, Congress General Secretary Kishore Sahdeo told IANS: "Jharkhand is facing poor power supply and the new shocker is power tariffs. This is an anti-people move. We will oppose the bill in the assembly and hit the roads."

--IANS

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