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Chhattisgarh State Electricity Regulatory Commission (CSERC) Monday started consultation with different sections to recommend the new power tariff for different categories of consumers the state.
The process of recording opinion of different section of the consumers would be completed by June 22, officials in the commission said.
On May 21, the CSERC had convened a public hearing to seek common man's suggestion on whether to increase the power tariff.
The officials said on May 22, the representatives of state-run South Eastern Coalfields Limited and Railways besides cement manufacturers' association, mini steel plant, sponge iron manufacturers' association would be invited for discussion on the issue.
The commission would later submit its recommendation to the state government for a possible revision in power tariff that could be announced in the first week of June.
The state-run Chhattisgarh State Power Distribution Company had reportedly asked for a big hike to increase its revenue.
According to officials, the company had planned to enhance its revenue from Rs 6000 crore to Rs 8100 crore. To execute the plan, the power tariff had to increase by about 30 per cent in the state that the company had been stressing for.
The panel officials had been in no mood to entertain the request of the company. The officials hinted that the hike could be limited to 10 per cent. This would help increasing the company revenue by Rs 1000 crore.
The power hike in Chhattisgarh is due since last two years. Following the November 2013 assembly polls, the Raman Singh government avoided increasing the power price. Since the state and now general elections had been completed, power tariff hike in Chhattisgarh was imminent.
