Locals fume as HPERC disallows subsidy, free power to consumers without NOC

Abhinav Vashisht

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Kullu, March 30

The move of the government to abolish power subsidy and free electricity to domestic consumers who installed electricity meters without a no objection certificate (NOC) from the local civic bodies is causing resentment among Kullu residents.

According to the new orders, the cost of Rs 6.79 per unit will now be applicable to such consumers and the facility of 125 units of free electricity will also not be provided to them.

During the financial year 2023-24, all domestic consumers in the 126-300 unit slab received an electricity subsidy of Rs 1.10 per unit. Consumers whose consumption was above 300 units were given the subsidy of Rs 0.55 per unit.

Following the orders of the Himachal Pradesh Electricity Regulatory Commission (HPERC), the domestic consumers in the state have been divided into two categories. Those who have taken NOCs from their local bodies will continue to get electricity subsidy and free 125 units. However, consumers who had put up meters without the NOC are not entitled to receive free electricity or subsidies. Kullu resident Vivek said the government had given a big shock to electricity consumers.

He said, “Before the Assembly elections in 2022, the Congress had guaranteed the provision of 300 units of electricity free of cost to domestic consumers of the state. Instead of fulfilling it even after 14 months of coming to power, the HPERC has increased the energy charges by around Rs 1 per unit for all categories of consumers for financial year 2024-25.”

Now, the government had put an extra burden on the pockets of the people by abolishing subsidy and 125 units of free electricity to some of the consumers, he said, adding that rather than giving additional free electricity as promised, the Congress was hiking the power tariff and reducing consumers getting the existing free electricity facility provided by the previous BJP government.

In 2022, the government had allowed issuing electricity connections to building owners without an NOC by local civic bodies to domestic connections having capacity less than 20 KW by amending the Himachal Pradesh Electricity Supply Code, 2009, which was mandatory earlier. Now, higher charges have been imposed upon such consumers. The Himachal Pradesh State Electricity Board Limited (HPSEBL) has approached HPERC again to clarify when and upon whom these new rates would be applicable. However, at present these new rates are set to be applicable from April 1, and the board has also made preparations on this basis.

Those with noc in the clear

• Following the orders of the Himachal Pradesh Electricity Regulatory Commission (HPERC), the domestic consumers in the state have been divided into two categories.
• Those who have taken NOCs from their local bodies will continue to get electricity subsidy and free 125 units.
• Consumers who had put up electrical meters without the NOC were not entitled to receive free electricity or subsidies.