15 months after Congress took power, residents want their free share of it

Abhinav Vashisht

Kullu, March 16

Before the Assembly elections in 2022, the Congress had promised that it would provide 300 units of free electricity to domestic consumers in the state if it came to power. However, instead of fulfilling the promise after the Congress formed the government in December 2022, the Himachal Pradesh Electricity Regulatory Commission (HPERC) increased the energy charges by around Re 1 per unit for all categories in the financial year 2024-25. However, the increased tariff will not affect consumers in all categories as the government will neutralise it by providing additional subsidy to the Himachal Pradesh State Electricity Board Limited (HPSEBL).

However, domestic consumers are likely to be irked if their electricity bills become inflated due to the increase in the power tariff, instead of them getting additional free electricity.

The state government continues to provide 125 units of free electricity every month to domestic consumers. The scheme was implemented by the previous BJP government right before the elections as the Aam Aadmi Party had also declared that it would provide 300 units of free electricity to consumers, like in Delhi and Punjab.

Fulfil the promise at earliest

Domestic electricity rates should not be hiked. The Congress government should fulfil the party’s guarantee of providing 300 units of free electricity to domestic consumers at the earliest. — Mahinder, consumer

Govt should not be profiteering

While states like Delhi and Punjab are providing free electricity, Himachal Pradesh is unable to do so despite being a hydelpower hub. The government should not be profiteering to the detriment of the consumers. — Vishal, consumer

The HPERC has estimated the average cost of supply for the HPSEBL at Rs 6.79 per unit for 2024-25. The consumers are now waiting for the subsidised rates to be notified, to be implemented for different use slabs. During the financial year 2023-24, domestic consumers in the 126-300 unit slab were charged a subsidised rate of Rs 4.17 per unit, against an approved tariff of Rs 5.27 per unit.

The tariff for consumption above 300 units was Rs 5.22 per unit against an approved tariff of Rs 5.87 per unit.

Consumers say the hike in the tariff would put additional burden on their monthly budget. A Kullu resident, Mahinder, said domestic electricity rates should not be hiked. He added the Congress government should fulfil the party’s guarantee of providing 300 units of free electricity to domestic consumers at the earliest. Another resident said people were feeling cheated after the CM Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu stated in an interview that the Congress would promise to fulfil its election guarantees, but did not specify a time-frame for it. “Would he do it in his tenure of five years?” he asked.

Another resident, Vishal, said while states like Delhi and Punjab were providing 300 units of free electricity to domestic users, the state was unable to do so despite being a hydelpower hub. He said the power generating capacity of Himachal Pradesh had increased tremendously during the past two decades.

He added that power was a basic necessity and the government should not be profiteering at the detriment of the consumers.