Power tariff hiked by 5 per cent in U'khand

People in Uttarakhand will now have to spend more on electricity bills with power tariffs hiked by nearly five per cent in both domestic and commercial categories with retrospective effect from April 1.
Announcing the revised power tariffs here last evening, Uttarakhand Electricity Regulatory Commission Chairman Subhash Kumar said on an average a hike of 26 paise per unit has been effected for consumers in the domestic category while an increase of 28 paise per unit has been made for consumers in the commercial category.
The monthly fixed charge for electricity has also been increased by Rs 5 to Rs 30, he said adding the new rates come into effect from April 1.

Uttarakhand Power Corporation had proposed a hike of 24. 96 per cent in electricity rates but after examining the proposal and holding public hearings it was decided that the rates should not be increased by more than 4.99 per cent, he said.
However, the revised new rates will not affect BPL families, Kumar said.
Even the fixed charge for the BPL category has been increased by a nominal Rs 3, he said.
Domestic category consumers will now have to pay at the rate of Rs 2.45 per unit in place of Rs 2.40 for the first 100 units consumed whereas for the next 200 units they will have to pay at the rate of Rs 3.10 per unit in place of Rs 2.90 per unit.

On consumption of 201-400 units, consumers will now have to pay at the rate of Rs 4.10 per unit in place of Rs 3.80 per unit.