Telangana will oppose Centre’s plan to implement new power tariff policy, says Jagadish Reddy

Minister said Centre was planning to hike power charges by 20 percent for industries and commercial establishments and 10 percent for other categories of consumers under the ToD policy

Hyderabad: Opposing the move of the Centre to implement Time of Day (ToD) power tariff policy, Energy Minister G Jagadish Reddy said the move would overburden both commercial and domestic consumers in the State.

Under the ‘Time of Day’ (ToD) tariff system, consumers would have to pay more for power consumption during peak hours and less for consumption during non-peak hours.

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Speaking to media in Suryapet on Sunday, the Minister said the Centre was planning to hike power charges by 20 percent for industries and commercial establishments and 10 percent for other categories of consumers under the ToD policy. He said the decision would make power expensive and put additional burden on consumers.

The Minister said ToD was being brought to discourage people from using power during peak hours.
“This is nothing but a game plan to deny poor and middle class consumers quality power. The Telangana government will oppose the Centre’s move and in case it is implemented, the government will not pass the burden to the consumers,” he said.

Pointing out that Prime Minister Narendra Modi, during the 2014 election campaign, had promised to make power available to everyone at an affordable price, he said that after coming to power, Modi started increasing the tariff making it out of the reach of the common man.

Though the Discoms have proposed to collect Rs 12,718.40 crore true-up charges from consumers, the State government has decided to pay it, he pointed out. He said Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao had not increased power tariff keeping in mind the financial difficulties of the people of the State.