Karnataka power tariff hiked; BJP criticizes, Cong says 85 pc unaffected
Bengaluru: The Karnataka Electricity Regulatory Commission (KERC), a statutory body, increased electricity prices by 36 paise per unit on Thursday, sparking a heated debate between the Congress-led government and the opposition BJP in the state.
The BJP has accused the Congress of focusing solely on appeasement while neglecting the concerns about inflation. In response, the Congress has stated that the electricity price hike will not impact 85 per cent of the population, as they receive free power for up to 200 units under the Gruha Jyothi scheme.
BJP State President B.Y. Vijayendra remarked, “Ever since the cursed Congress-led government came to power, its only contribution to the people has been inflation. That is the only guarantee they have implemented. We have been discussing this issue for a long time. Inflation has severely affected the poor, and women are suffering the most.”
“To cover up their failures, they keep claiming that the Central government is mistreating the state. On one hand, they claim to provide free electricity, yet on the other, they increase tariffs. Farmers in the state are facing a crisis, as the government is unable to ensure a seven-hour supply of three-phase electricity.
Moreover, government departments such as the PWD have outstanding electricity bills amounting to Rs 6,500 crore. Despite this, the state government has chosen to hike electricity prices. We will raise this issue in the Assembly session,” Vijayendra declared.
He further accused the government of being focused on appeasement rather than addressing the concerns of common citizens. “Whether it is the smart meter installations, electricity tariff hikes, or metro fare increases, they simply don’t care,” he alleged.
Responding to the criticism, Minister for Medical Education Sharan Prakash Patil stated that the price hike would primarily affect the government, as it is providing free electricity to 85 per cent of consumers using less than 200 units. “The burden will not fall on the people,” he assured.
“The BJP lacks common sense. More than 85 per cent of consumers fall under the free power scheme, yet they are speaking on behalf of the rich who own industries. Additionally, the government does not set electricity rates — an independent agency is responsible for that. It is incorrect to say that power prices have increased due to the free power scheme,” Minister Patil explained.
Minister for Labour Santosh Lad reiterated that KERC, as a statutory body, had decided to increase tariffs by 36 paise per unit. “The majority of people benefiting from free electricity will not be affected by this hike,” he added.
Meanwhile, senior BJP MLA and Deputy Leader in the Assembly, Arvind Bellad, criticized the Congress government for increasing electricity tariffs. “They claim that the Electricity Supply Companies in the state are suffering heavy losses, making the tariff hike inevitable. However, they have proposed a hike that is double what these companies requested, unnecessarily burdening the people,” he alleged.