New Delhi: In more bad news for citizens
in the city, Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit today indicated a
possible hike in power tariff which is likely to be announced
in the next few days.
"People in Delhi have money... They will have to pay
more for power if they use more," Dikshit said replying to a
question whether there will be any hike in power tariff.
Delhi`s power regulator DERC is likely to announce a
new tariff order within next one week for the year 2010-11.
DERC chairman Berjinder Singh yesterday briefed Dikshit on the
new tariff order.
Reliance Infrastructure-backed discom BSES has been
pressing for a minimum 40 per cent hike in power tariff
arguing that cost of power in the open market as well as cost
of distribution has increased significantly in the last one
year.
Sources in the DERC indicate that there could be a
hike in power tariff for those whose power consumption is very
high.
Despite the demand by the discoms, the DERC last year
had not increased power tariff in the city. But tariff had
gone up after Delhi Government withdrew subsidy to certain
categories of customers citing financial difficulties.
In the last six months, the city government has
increased water tariff, hiked bus fares, withdrew subsidy on
LPG cylinders and increased VAT on a range of items including
diesel to mop up additional revenue.
PTI
