The new power tariffs announced by the Delhi Electricity Regulatory Commission (DERC) on Wednesday would lead to a reduction in bills, the Delhi government said, while the Opposition claimed that Delhiites would end up paying more.
While the DERC reduced the per unit tariff applicable from April 1, it hiked the fixed charges across categories. Despite the increase in fixed charges, the overall change in rates would lead to an average 7 % to 8% reduction in bills, Power Minister Satyendar Jain told the Delhi Assembly.
“They [BJP MLAs] say that rates have been increased. But I have done every calculation...There is an average reduction of 7-8%,” said Mr. Jain.
Lowest power rates
Addressing a press briefing earlier, Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia said the new tariffs had made the city with the lowest power rates in the country.
“For the past three years, 80% of domestic consumers have been getting a 50% subsidy. I’m happy to say that compared to all major cities in the country, Delhi has the lowest power tariffs,” said Mr. Sisodia, adding that the subsidy would continue.
Mr. Jain told reporters and then told the House that for consumers using up to 200 units with a 1-KW connection, bills would reduce by ₹115, for those using 201-400 units with 2KW, 3KW and 4KW connections, the bill would reduce by ₹280, ₹175 and ₹70 respectively. For those using 401-800 units with a 4KW and 5KW connection, the bill would reduce by ₹285 and ₹170 respectively, and for those using 801-2,000 units on a 15KW connection, the bill would come down by ₹2,000.
Mr. Jain said that the tariffs could have gone up due to the Central government increasing the fixed charge of the power produced at plants by 50 paise per unit, but the AAP government had not allowed it. As Mr. Jain was speaking in the House, there was commotion as BJP MLAs interrupted and AAP MLAs also got involved.
BJP MLA marshalled out
“They [BJP] don’t want to hear the truth,” said Speaker Ram Niwas Goel before ordering BJP MLA O.P. Sharma to be marshalled out.
Leader of Opposition Vijender Gupta said in a statement that the AAP government was “misleading” people on the matter and that the “exorbitant” increase in fixed charges would hit consumers and benefit discoms.
Interestingly, while Mr. Gupta said that consumers would be adversely impacted, his own party’s Delhi unit president, Manoj Tiwari, said that the BJP had campaigned for reduction in tariffs.
Sustained campaign
“Delhi BJP president Shri Manoj Tiwari has said that whatever benefits in power tariffs have come to the consumers have come through after a sustained campaign by the consumer organisations & BJP before the D.E.R.C. [sic],” a Delhi BJP statement read.
Delhi Congress president Ajay Maken too hit out against the Aam Aadmi Party government, saying in a statement that the increase in fixed charges would put an additional burden of ₹1,510 crore on consumers.
