Lucknow News: Electricity consumers have got a big relief in Uttar Pradesh. The Electricity Regulatory Commission does not agree with the Power Corporation’s proposal to increase the rates for taking new electricity connections. The Commission has considered it unnecessary. This has shocked the Power Corporation. The Consumer Council raised objection in the Electricity Regulatory Commission regarding the rates for new electricity connections in the proposed cost data book. The Consumer Council argued that this proposal of the Power Corporation is not right in any respect and it is not right to put financial burden on the consumers. The Regulatory Commission also did not agree with the proposal of the Power Corporation. At present the decision in this matter has been reserved. However, the way the Electricity Regulatory Commission has termed the Power Corporation’s proposal as unreasonable, it is believed that the rate of new connections for common consumers will not be increased.
The rates for new electricity connections and rates for consumer goods are determined on the basis of the new cost data book. UP Power Corporation has proposed an increase of 30 to 35 percent on new connections for the general public and 100 percent increase for industries. Regarding this, a meeting of the Electricity Supply Code Review Panel Sub Committee was held in the Commission Auditorium in the presence of Electricity Regulatory Commission Chairman Arvind Kumar, members BK Srivastava and Sanjay Kumar Singh. In this, Corporation Managing Director Pankaj Kumar made new proposals. There was a demand from Noida Power Company to approve the cost data book.
On this, Uttar Pradesh Electricity Consumer Council President Awadhesh Kumar Verma said that Power Corporation is buying single phase meter for Rs 768 while the offer has been given for Rs 1124. Similarly, it has been proposed to increase the price of three phase meter from Rs 1,845 to Rs 3,213 and the price of 25 KVA distribution transformer including GST from Rs 60,907 to Rs 74,198. There is a proposal to increase the processing rates of all electricity consumers by 100 percent except BPL, whereas more than half of the online processing work is done by the electricity consumers themselves. There is a proposal to increase the security amount of small and big industries by almost 100 percent. This will shock those taking new connections.
It is being told that Commission Chairman Arvind Kumar considered the proposal of such increase as unnecessary. However, for now he has reserved his decision. It is expected that the rates of electricity connection and materials will not be increased. Madhyanchal Managing Director Bhavani Singh Khangraut, Director (Distribution) GD Dwivedi etc. were present in the meeting.
Meanwhile, it has been told that till now about 15 to 20 percent of the connections in Uttar Pradesh are in the names of women. The Consumer Council has demanded a 33 percent discount on getting electricity connection in the name of rural women and 15 percent discount for urban women. On this, Regulatory Commission Chairman Arvind Kumar sought the opinion of the Power Corporation. The Managing Director of the Corporation said that the Electricity Distribution Corporation is a commercial institution. In such a situation, a decision on this issue can be taken only at the level of the Electricity Regulatory Commission or the government.