Power tariff hiked by 10 pc
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, February 19 2016 :
Consent has been given to the proposal to hike the current power tariff by 10 percent after a public hearing on a petition filed by the Manipur State Power Dis-tribution Company Limited (MSPDCL) for determining Aggregate Revenue Require-ment (ARR) and tariff petition for distribution and retail tariff for financial year 2016-17 today at Regency Hall, Classic Hotel, Imphal.
The meeting was held between the Manipur State Power Distribution Company Limited (MSPDCL) and public who filed objections and clarifications from MSPDCL in the presence of the Joint Electricity Regulatory Commission for Manipur and Mizoram.
The public hearing agreed to increase the power tariff for domestic consumers from the existing Rs 2.90 (0-100 slab) to Rs 3.20, Rs 3.50 (101-200 slab) to Rs 3.90 and Rs 4.40 (above 200 slab) to Rs 4.80, but the Commission maintained that the pros and cons of the 10 percent hike will be further deliberated with experts before it is implemented.
The All Manipur Power Consumers' Association had asked the MSPDCL to combine the power tariff for 0-100 and 101-200 slabs as one and decrease hike of tariff.
However, the corporation admitted that it would lead to uneven distribution of taxes as less power consumers would be charged more.
Furthermore, the idea to take fewer subsidies from the State Government from time to time would be pointless if the tariff hike is averaged between less power consumers and more power consumers, MSPDCL stated.
Chairperson of Joint Electricity Regulatory Commission for Manipur and Mizoram RK Kishore during a brief interaction commented that the public hearing was well- conducted and various other issues were discussed in detail.
Recalling the notification issued, he stated that the public who have sought clarification for the tariff hike were asked to submit their written complaints to MSPDCL before January 29 .
The Commission has, therefore, given consent to increase the power tariff by 10 percent as proposed by the MSPDCL and given them the opportunity to cut down the subsidies received from the State Government, he added.
Public hearing on petition of Manipur State Power Company Limited (MSPCL) for approval of Aggregate Revenue Requirement (ARR) and tariff petition for transmission business for financial year 2016-17 was also held where queries on the efficiency of MSPCL were deliberated by the public.