The opposition parties reacted bitterly to the “steep rise” announced in the power tariff on Wednesday, and demanded that the State government roll the tariff back immediately to give relief to the commoners.
Telugu Desam Party (TDP) national president N. Chandrababu Naidu, addressing the party workers, criticised Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy for choosing to impose a “huge unbearable burden” on the people by effecting a steep rise in the power tariffs once again.
He appealed to all sections of society to condemn the “unilateral increase in power tariffs.”
Mr. Naidu also urged the people to oppose the fixing of meters to agriculture motors, which, he said, was tantamount to tying the noose around the necks of the farmers.
The TDP, he said, would fight against the steep rise in the power tariffs.
‘False promises’
In his statement, TDP national general secretary N. Lokesh alleged that Mr. Jagan Mohan Reddy had become the brand ambassador for “false promises.”
“The power tariff hike has come as a big blow to the people this summer. By doing away with several categories and bringing in six slabs, the government has give a rude jolt to the common man. The power tariff will now go up by 45 paise per unit below 30 units, by 91 paise between 31 and 75 units, and by ₹1.40 between 76 and 125 units. The increase will be ₹1.57 per unit between 126 and 225 units, ₹1.16 between 226 and 400 units, and 55 paise for above 400 units,” Mr. Lokesh said.
“This is enough to show how the YSRCP government is punishing people for giving it one chance,” the TDP leader said.
‘Huge burden’
The Left parties – the CPI(M), the CPI, the CPI-ML(New Democracy), the MCPI(U), the SUCI(C), the Forward Bloc, and the Revolutionary Socialist Party – called for a Statewide protest against the hike in power tariffs.
CPI State secretary K. Ramakrishna, CPI(M) State secretary V. Srinivasa Rao and other party leaders said the increase in power tariffs would impose a burden of ₹4,300 crore on the people.
“The consumers, who till now have been paying ₹43.50 per 30 units, will henceforth have to pay ₹57, a burden of about 31% on the poor. The hike will impose a burden of 40% on people consuming 75 units. In contrast, the consumers paying ₹2,345 per month for 400 units consumed will have to pay ₹2,548 per month under the new slab,” they said.
The Left parties said they would stage protests across the State on Thursday.
AICC secretary Gidugu Rudraraju, in a statement, said the State government had already burdened the people with garbage charges, property tax, and municipal and registration charges. The government had not left any stone unturned to burden the people.
“Now, with the power tariff hike, those consuming less than 100 units and the middle classes consuming between 200 and 300 units will be burdened the most, he said.
