Electricity Minister P. Thangamani on Monday denied DMK president M.K. Stalin’s charge that the government was burdening domestic consumers by charging exorbitant electricity charges.
Insisting that the electricity tariff in Tamil Nadu was the lowest in the country, he said that more than 70 lakh consumers were benefiting from the free 100-unit scheme, introduced by the former Chief Minister Jayalalithaa.
The State had more than 2.1 crore domestic consumers, he said.
Cheaper tariff
Mr. Stalin had cited the provision of 80 free units in Kerala and a waiver of 5-7% in electricity bills in Maharashtra during the COVID-19 pandemic, he said. Mr. Thangamani said that for 300 units consumed in Tamil Nadu, the bill amount was just ₹500, whereas in Kerala the amount payable for the same number of units was ₹1,165. In Maharashtra, it would be higher, at ₹1,776.
He said the Electricity Department had been calculating electricity bills properly, by taking the average of the total units consumed for four months and issuing the net charges after deducting the previous month cycle (PMC) amount, paid for April, May and June.
Mr. Thangamani said that Mr. Stalin had called electricity an essential commodity. However, the State was reeling under power cuts for several hours during the erstwhile DMK regime. He pointed out that the Madras High Court had upheld the methodology for calculating EB bills, and said that the DMK’s proposal to organise protests on this front was surprising.
You have reached your limit for free articles this month.
To get full access, please subscribe.
Already have an account ? Sign in
Show Less Plan
Subscription Benefits Include
Today's Paper
Find mobile-friendly version of articles from the day's newspaper in one easy-to-read list.
Faster pages
Move smoothly between articles as our pages load instantly.
Unlimited Access
Enjoy reading as many articles as you wish without any limitations.
Dashboard
A one-stop-shop for seeing the latest updates, and managing your preferences.
Personalised recommendations
A select list of articles that match your interests and tastes.
Briefing
We brief you on the latest and most important developments, three times a day.
*Our Digital Subscription plans do not currently include the e-paper ,crossword, iPhone, iPad mobile applications and print. Our plans enhance your reading experience.
A letter from the Editor
Dear subscriber,
Thank you!
Your support for our journalism is invaluable. It’s a support for truth and fairness in journalism. It has helped us keep apace with events and happenings.
The Hindu has always stood for journalism that is in the public interest. At this difficult time, it becomes even more important that we have access to information that has a bearing on our health and well-being, our lives, and livelihoods. As a subscriber, you are not only a beneficiary of our work but also its enabler.
We also reiterate here the promise that our team of reporters, copy editors, fact-checkers, designers, and photographers will deliver quality journalism that stays away from vested interest and political propaganda.
Suresh Nambath