Power Tariff Goes up by 36 Paise per unit in Karnataka

The hike in power tariff is to settle pensions, gratuity of nearly 30,000 employees of redundant Karnataka Electricity Board (KEB). In place of KEB, Electricity Supply Companies in Mysuru, Bengaluru, Mangaluru, Hubbali and Gulbarga have come into existence since 2002.

Speaking to reporters in Bengaluru, Minister of Energy K.J. George stated the hike in power tariff has been effected by KERC and not a decision of the State Government.

The Minister pointed to a stay from the High Court after a Federation of Karnataka Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FKCCI) appealed not to burden the consumers to settle pensions, gratuity among others for nearly 30,000 employees in the earlier Karnataka Electricity Board (KEB) in 2002.

George said in place of KEB, Electricity Supply Companies were created and the issue of settlement of pensions, gratuity among others meant for the employees was pending for a long time. Now, after the High Court ruled in favour of ESCOMs, power tariff has been revised by KERC after hearing from all stakeholders/parties.

George said giving pensions, gratuity among others was pending for a long time. The issue was pending during the earlier rule and also during the previous government of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Karnataka.

However, the power tariff hike came in for criticism from Bharatiya Janata Party and its State president B.Y. Vijayendra termed the Congress rule a “pick pocket government” that offers free schemes such as free power upto 200 units a household, Rs 2,000 monthly cash benefit scheme for a female head of a family among others on one side while imposing a financial burden on common man.

Vijayendra said the government’s actions on burdening the common man are “unpardonable crime.”