Industries in Madhya Pradesh want proposed power hike dropped

The cost of taking new electricity connection, electrification in colonies and shifting of connection among other services are all set to go up by around 70 per cent following a proposal by Madhya Pradesh Electricity Regulatory Commission, upsetting industries urging to rollback the proposed hike.

The proposed hike in the middle of the pandemic has alarmed industries with many industry associations writing to the commission for withdrawing the proposed hike in service charges.

As per the proposal by the Madhya Pradesh Electricity Regulatory Commission, the cost of taking new electricity connection for HT consumers is hiked to Rs 1,260 per kilo volt ampere from earlier Rs 750 per kilo volt ampere. The one time charges for taking new connections for domestic and commercial consumers are also proposed to go up by 67 to 70 per cent.

The upward revision in service charges was proposed after a span of 12 years, the last revision in service charges by the commission was introduced on September 7, 2009.

Virendra Kumar Porwal, executive president, Malwa Chamber of Commerce and Industries said, “The proposed hike is very steep and not fair in a pandemic situation.