Over the Power tariff hike decision, Leaders of CPM slammed the BJP-IPFT government today and demanded an immediate roll back considering the financial burden that it would impose on common people. While people are in great distress due to Covid pandemic, the decision to raise the power tariff is irrational and illogical, CPM leaders alleged.
CPM State Secretary Gautam Das held a press conference in Agartala today condemning the power-tariff hike decision. He said, several State and central Government organizations have held up payment of electric bills resulting in huge unpaid bills. “Government could ponder over collecting these unpaid bills instead of putting pressure on common people at this hour of crisis”, Das said. He also mentioned several other ways like steps for reducing ‘system losses’ etc for augmenting revenue of the TSECL.
Training guns at the ruling coalition, CPM leaders alleged, the State Government placed a proposal to the Electricity Regulatory Commission (ERC) for increasing tariff without discussing it in the assembly. Das also claimed that the Government submitted a proposal to the ERC but nothing in details about the revenue, expenditure and deficit. However, ERC, based on the proposal without getting the detailed report cannot decide for a tariff hike, Das argued.
“The State Government, on earlier occasion, levied 5 pc duty for a section of consumers with higher electric bills. Imposing such a tax burden is unprecedented in the State – and now with the decision to raise the tariff will cause serious troubles for common people during a pandemic situation”, Das commented.
He said CPM is strongly opposing the tariff-rise decision and demanded an immediate roll back. Das said, “Increasing power-tariff, instead of strengthening collection of electric bills regularly and stressing on collecting unpaid bills, is a highly condemnable and irrational decision. The Government, for the sake of common people, must refrain from tariff-hike”.
