The Hindu Business Line : Delhi Govt okays rollback of power tariff hike

THE Delhi Cabinet on Wednesday approved a rollback of the 10 per cent power tariff hike following unprecedented protest by citizens' groups against the move.

This is the first time that a tariff hike allowed to private distribution companies has been withdrawn subsequently.

After the Cabinet meeting, the Chief Minister, Ms Sheila Dikshit, said the State Government would bear half the impact of the rollback while the private distribution companies will take on the other half. The Congress Legislature Party had late last night passed a resolution demanding the complete rollback of the contentious power-tariff hike in Delhi.

The three private distribution companies — NDPL of Tata Power and the two BSES companies of Reliance Energy — have told the Government that they were ready to equally share the burden of rolling back the 10 per cent hike in electricity tariff, Government sources said. The distribution companies had raised the tariffs by 10 per cent with effect from July 15, after the Delhi Electricity Regulatory Commission allowed the tariff hike on the basis of the annual revenue requirement petitions filed by the firms. The climb down by the State administration is being seen as a major victory for Delhi's citizens, who had launched a sustained campaign against the tariff hike. Meanwhile, the Members of Parliament (MPs) from Delhi came out strongly against the Government's proposal to pay subsidy to the private electricity supply companies to bring down the power tariff, even as they supported the rollback in hike.

Article E-Mail :: Comment :: Syndication :: Printer Friendly Page

Stories in this Section
Cyclonic air circulation brings rain to South

Delhi Govt okays rollback of power tariff hike

Projects seeking to sell carbon credits racing against deadline

Rupee touches 8-month low

Expert panel for de-branding of some drugs

Volkswagen committed to setting up plant in AP, says CM

TCS, Infosys likely to bag $1.2 b ABN Amro outsourcing deal

Listing in domestic exchanges made mandatory for cos issuing GDRs

Hurricane effect: US may face energy crisis