NEW DELHI: In a major announcement before the Assembly elections in Delhi, the Aam Aadmi Party government has declared that the tariff on the fixed charge that is levied on every electricity connection will be drastically reduced. The Delhi Electricity Regulatory Commission (DERC) on Wednesday issued a notification announcing a reduction in the new tariff order for the fiscal 2019-2020. The new rates will be applicable from August 1, 2019.
As per the new tariff order, the fixed charge for households consuming till 15 kilowatts of units of power has been reduced as per the following slabs: Till 2 kw Rs 125 to Rs 20; for 2-5 kw from Rs 140 to Rs 50; and for 5-15 kw, from Rs 175 to Rs 100.
In the domestic category, the energy charges for those who are consuming more than 1,200 units have been hiked from the current Rs 7.75 per unit to Rs 8 per unit. All domestic category consumers will have savings from Rs 105 up to Rs 750 per month after the implementation of the new rates.
In the non-domestic category, which is above 3 kilo volts-amperes (KVA), the existing rate of Rs 8 per unit has been raised to Rs 8.50 per unit. For low-end shopkeepers consuming up to 3 KVA, a new sub-category has been created and they will be charged at rate of Rs 6 per kw instead of Rs 8.50 kw. In order to promote pollution-free transportation, tariff for charging stations of e-rickshaws and other electric vehicles has also been reduced.
Congratulating people, chief minister Arvind Kejriwal said that this was for the fifth consecutive year that no electricity tariff hike had been effected. On the contrary, he said that for the fifth consecutive year, tariffs have been reduced. He claimed that Delhi has the lowest electricity tariffs in the country and it was the only place in the country where electricity was available 24x7.
Leader of Opposition, Vijender Gupta, however, said that mere reduction in fixed charges was not sufficient. He said: “DISCOMS must pay compensation to electricity consumers for the financial loss on account of payment of fixed charges since April 1 last year. During the last 16 months, electricity consumers have paid crores of rupees on account of wrongly imposed increased fixed charges. The consumers must be repaid the enhanced amount extracted from them.”
Pradesh Congress Committee working presidents Haroon Yusuf, who was a former power minister of Delhi, Devender Yadav and Rajesh Lilothia also demanded a total roll-back of the fixed charges.
