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Andhra govt planning ₹15,700-crore burden via power tariffs on consumers: APCC chief
Andhra govt planning ₹15,700-crore burden via power tariffs on consumers: APCC chief
Amaravati, CC president Y S Sharmila on Thursday accused the TDP-led NDA government of preparing to impose a financial burden of nearly ₹15,700 crore on consumers through power tariff hikes.
Contrary to Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu’s assurances that electricity charges would not be raised, Sharmila claimed that the Andhra Pradesh Electricity Regulatory Commission has already laid the groundwork for the "additional burden".
"While the CM continues to publicly claim that electricity charges will not be raised, ERC has already prepared the groundwork for an additional burden of ₹15,651 crore on consumers," Sharmila said in a press release.
According to the opposition leader, a public notice has been issued seeking feedback on the proposed power tariff hike.
She alleged that this move exposes the inconsistency between the government’s statements and its actions, describing Naidu’s assurances as "deceptive, outdated and utterly laughable".
In just 18 months of assuming office, Sharmila alleged, the government has caused significant financial distress through "adjustments" in power charges, amounting to about ₹15,000 crore.
"Now, under the pretext of tariffs, the government is preparing yet another extraction of ₹15,000 crore, further burdening citizens who trusted and voted for the ruling alliance," she further claimed.
Condemning the "practice of blaming deficits while squeezing ordinary families," Sharmila said it was "unacceptable for the government to repeatedly impose such steep charges."
She demanded that the chief minister immediately respond to ERC’s tariff hike proposals and clarify the government’s intentions, urging him to announce that the proposed over ₹15,000-crore burden will be borne entirely by the government.
"The government must demonstrate integrity by upholding the promises made to the electorate. Failure to do so would amount to a betrayal of public trust and further erode confidence in the administration," she added.
Addressing a meeting of ministers, secretaries, and department heads on December 10, Naidu had assured that the NDA government would not increase power tariffs this year, adding that efforts are underway to reduce the power purchase price from ₹4.92 to ₹4 per unit.
This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text.
