BJP slams Congress government for 20 percent hike in Power Tariff in a year

Chandigarh, April 20, 2018: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has slammed the Congress government in Punjab for nearly 20 percent hike in power tariff in its first year.

In a press release issued here today, BJP National Secretary Tarun Chugh said that the government which had come into power by making false promises was trying to snatch 'power' from the poor and middle class by raising the tariff once again.

Chugh said the exorbitant increase in power rates would surely have a bad affect on the financial health of the people of the state.

He said Amarinder government, instead of fulfilling the promises made by it to the electorate, had been taking unsavoury decisions which were proving detrimental to the interests of poor and the middle class.

He said the recent 2.17% increase in the tariff and a fixed rate hike of Rs.10 per kilowatt which would amount to be an additional burden of Rs.700 crore on the consumers.

Chugh said it was the first government of the state which had put an additional burden of 2 percent hike in Municipal Tax, 9.3% hike by the PSPCL on the recommendation of Electricity Regulatory Commission, 5% increase in power tariff during budget session and now a 2.17% hike taking the total hike to nearly 20 percent which is highly condemnable.

The BJP leader said, that the Congress in its election manifesto promised full farm loan waiver for farmers, unemployment allowance of Rs.2500 for unemployed youth, smartphones for the youth, Rs. 51,000 as Shagun and tea, sugar etc. along with Atta and Dal none of which has been fulfilled even after passage of a year but the government has instead opted for yet another hike in power tariff.

Chugh hailed the decision of Prime Minister Narendra Modi for ensuring power supply to 18,000 villages in the country which had no electricity at all till now. He said the Modi government was in the process of providing free electricity connections to 4 crore underprivileged families.