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BJP govt didn’t approve hike in power tariff: Bommai
Former chief minister Basavaraj Bommai on Tuesday denied that the previous BJP government gave approval to power tariff hike by KERC
Former chief minister Basavaraj Bommai on Tuesday said the previous BJP-led government did not approve the power tariff hike proposed by the Karnataka Electricity Regulatory Commission (KERC).
Speaking at a press conference in Hubballi, Bommai highlighted that during their tenure, the government had rejected the tariff revision. “Our government did not increase power tariffs. We rejected the tariff revision. However, Congress, after assuming power, approved the power tariff hike, resulting in increased power bills.”
According to the former CM, the increase in tariff will be a big burden on people. In the coming days, the electricity department will be in a big crisis. The KERC hiked the electricity tariff on June 5 by ₹2.89 per unit, days after the Karnataka government announced the ‘Gruha Jyoti’ scheme, offering free power up to 200 units.
After the announcement, chief minister Siddaramaiah clarified that the decision to increase the electricity tariff by ₹2.89 per unit was made by the Karnataka Electricity Regulatory Commission (KERC) and not the government. “We do not decide hike in electricity tariff. There is Karnataka electricity regulatory authority, which has decided. It had been decided in the past. We have only implemented it,” he explained.
Public works Minister Satish Jarakiholi reassured industrialists on Tuesday that the recent increase in electricity rates is temporary, urging them not to consider migrating to Maharashtra.
Jarakiholi acknowledged their concerns and mentioned that chief minister Siddharamaiah would soon hold a meeting with stakeholders and electricity supply company officials to address the issue. “I am also shocked to see that commercial users have got bills with twice or thrice the normal billing amounts. Even domestic users have also received such high amounts. I do not know why, but I am guessing it is because officials have added the additional amounts from the last two months to this month’s bills,” he said.
Jarakiholi explained that the state government was unable to roll back the hike as it was approved by the Karnataka electricity regulatory commission (KERC), but assured the industrialists that their grievances would be communicated to the KERC. He concluded by assuring the public that the government would find a resolution to the issue of increased power bills.
Meanwhile, Bommai expressed his disappointment on the Congress government’s lack of responsibility in addressing the potential impact of natural calamities on the state. He emphasized the adverse effects of the delayed monsoon, which have led to delayed sowing and difficulties for farmers.
Another issue raised by the former chief minister was the low water levels in several dams across the state, contributing to the existing water crisis. While Bommai acknowledged that it was premature to declare a drought, he urged the state government to take necessary steps to prepare for such a situation. He proposed the establishment of taluk-level task forces comprising officials and local representatives, immediate allocation of ₹100 crore for relief work, and activation of NDRF teams to address potential challenges.
Turning to the guarantee schemes, Bommai stated that the BJP would closely monitor the situation. He criticized the insufficient number of buses provided despite the announcement of free rides for women, which has caused trouble to the public. “The Congress government has failed to provide adequate information on how funds would be mobilized for the implementation of these schemes,” he said.
