Jagan Slams TD Govt Over Increased Electricity Tariffs Since 2014
28 Oct 2024 3:56 AM IST
YSRC chief and former chief minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy has criticised the Telugu Desam-led alliance government, saying it imposed heavy hikes in power tariff on the people of Andhra Pradesh. (Image: DC)
Vijayawada: YSRC chief and former chief minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy has criticised the Telugu Desam-led alliance government, saying it imposed heavy hikes in power tariff on the people of Andhra Pradesh.
In a post on his social media page on Sunday, Jagan accused Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu of misleading the public with assurances of stable or reduced power tariffs, “only to burden citizens with an additional charge of Rs 6,072.86 crore.”
“Despite pledging to avoid tariff increases, the TD government repeatedly raised power charges from 2014 to 2019, directly impacting household expenses,” he said.
Jagan provided examples to underscore the steep rise in electricity costs during Naidu’s tenure: a 76-unit bill that cost Rs 140.10 in 2015-16 surged to Rs 197.60 by 2018-19, marking a 41.04 per cent increase. Similar hikes were observed across other usage slabs. For instance, a 78-unit bill saw a 39.57 per cent increase, while an 80-unit bill rose by 38.21 per cent, he said.
The YSRC chief also pointed out that TD’s “mismanagement” of the power sector left a lasting burden on the state. Naidu’s administration entered into costly power purchase agreements (PPAs) for approximately 8,000mw, adding an additional annual burden of Rs 3,500 crore on power corporations for 25 years, he said.
“These high-cost agreements led to significant financial strain on the state’s power sector, with cumulative losses ballooning from Rs 6,625 crore in 2014 to a staggering Rs 28,715 crore by 2019. Additionally, government-run power corporations saw their debt and liabilities soar from Rs 29,552 crore in 2014 to Rs 86,215 crore by 2019, placing long-term financial stress on the state’s energy infrastructure,” Jagan Reddy said in the social media post.
The former chief minister urged citizens to recognize TD’s “broken promises and mismanagement” of the power sector, reminding them of the increased tariffs and financial strain the previous government left behind.
He called on the people to remain vigilant and informed them about TD’s record, as the YSRC “continues its commitment to providing transparent and effective governance for Andhra Pradesh.”
“Despite pledging to avoid tariff increases, the TD government repeatedly raised power charges from 2014 to 2019, directly impacting household expenses,” he said.
Jagan provided examples to underscore the steep rise in electricity costs during Naidu’s tenure: a 76-unit bill that cost Rs 140.10 in 2015-16 surged to Rs 197.60 by 2018-19, marking a 41.04 per cent increase. Similar hikes were observed across other usage slabs. For instance, a 78-unit bill saw a 39.57 per cent increase, while an 80-unit bill rose by 38.21 per cent, he said.
The YSRC chief also pointed out that TD’s “mismanagement” of the power sector left a lasting burden on the state. Naidu’s administration entered into costly power purchase agreements (PPAs) for approximately 8,000mw, adding an additional annual burden of Rs 3,500 crore on power corporations for 25 years, he said.
“These high-cost agreements led to significant financial strain on the state’s power sector, with cumulative losses ballooning from Rs 6,625 crore in 2014 to a staggering Rs 28,715 crore by 2019. Additionally, government-run power corporations saw their debt and liabilities soar from Rs 29,552 crore in 2014 to Rs 86,215 crore by 2019, placing long-term financial stress on the state’s energy infrastructure,” Jagan Reddy said in the social media post.
The former chief minister urged citizens to recognize TD’s “broken promises and mismanagement” of the power sector, reminding them of the increased tariffs and financial strain the previous government left behind.
He called on the people to remain vigilant and informed them about TD’s record, as the YSRC “continues its commitment to providing transparent and effective governance for Andhra Pradesh.”
( Source : Deccan Chronicle )
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