Bhubaneswar: The Congress Thursday threatened to stage protests across Odisha if the power tariff is hiked in the state from the upcoming financial year 2025-26.
Holding a press conference here, senior Congress leader and former minister Panchanan Kanungo said a hearing to hike power tariff is going on at the Odisha Electricity Regulatory Commission (OERC).
Different power supply stakeholders have submitted their demands before the OERC to hike the power tariff and the commission is conducting public hearings on their pleas. So, there is an apprehension among the domestic consumers that the power tariff may be hiked this time, he said.
Kanungo claimed that the company engaged in the bulk supply of electricity and power distribution companies have been demanding a hike in power tariffs in the state.
“Before the 2024 assembly election, the BJP had promised to provide 300 units of free power to the people of Odisha. However, instead of providing free power, there is a proposal to hike the power tariff by 12.42 paise per unit. So, we in advance warn the government not to hike the power tariff,” the Congress leader said.
If the power tariff is enhanced by a single paise, the Congress party and its student, women and youth wings along with power consumers will launch state-wide agitations, he warned.
Youth Congress leader Yashir Nawaz, who was present at the press conference, said, “The Odisha government, in the state assembly, informed that they have waived off electricity dues worth Rs 4,097 crore to 14 industries in last 10 years. Similarly, electricity dues worth Rs 1,096 crore have been pending against 23 industries.”
When such a huge amount of electricity duty is pending against industrial units, on which basis, the power distribution companies have demanded for power tariff hike, he asked.
“So we demand the government to reject the power tariff hike petitions of the power companies and implement the 300 free unit scheme immediately,” the Congress leader demanded.
PTI