Electricity tariff will not increase this year also due to Corona. In the last financial year 2020-21, due to the Corona lockdown, the Electricity Regulatory Commission, gave a decision in favor of the consumers, did not make any increase for the first time after the formation of Jharkhand. At the same time, due to non-functional commission in the financial year 2021-22, the hearing on the tariff could not take place.
Jharkhand Bijli Vitran Nigam (JBVNL) had given a petition to increase the tariff in November 2020. There was a proposal to increase the tariff by 20 to 30 percent, but due to the absence of a single member in the commission, it could not be heard.
Consumers have got the direct benefit of this. This time the tariff did not increase. Normally new tariffs were announced from July to August, but this time it could not happen. Along with JBVNL, consumers of Tata Steel, SAIL and DVC have also got relief.
Jharkhand Bijli Vitran Nigam (JBVNL) has now started preparing to file tariff petition for the financial year 2022-23 due to non-increasing of tariff. A new tariff petition will be filed on November 30.
JBVNL has suffered heavy losses due to non-increasing electricity tariff for the second consecutive year. JBVNL used to get the benefit of tariff hike of about 10 per cent per annum. But, due to not doing so, a loss of about 12 crores per month i.e. 3600 crores in a year is estimated.
(EW correspondent)
