Ranchi: In the coming financial year, electricity consumers may get a big shock. The non-increase in electricity rates for the last three years is going to affect the pockets of the consumers.
On Wednesday, Jharkhand Bijli Vitran Nigam Limited has filed a new electricity tariff petition for the financial year 2023-24 in the Jharkhand Electricity Regulatory Commission. JBVNL has proposed to increase the electricity rate by 20 percent.
In the new financial year, common electricity consumers may get a deep shock because there has been no increase in electricity rates for the last three years. Till now only the electricity tariff of the financial year 2019-20 is applicable in the state.
Due to this, it is more likely that the increase in the electricity rate is fixed in the coming financial year. Now the regulatory commission will decide to what percentage it will increase. JBVNL has shown a revenue gap of about Rs 7400 crores in three years due to a non-increase in electricity rate three financial years. In which a revenue gap of 2200 crores has been shown in the financial year 2021-22, 2600 crores in the financial year 2022- 23, and 2500 crores in the financial year.
The Electricity Regulatory Commission will take the final decision on the new electricity tariff of JBVNL. The commission will accept the new tariff. After this, a public hearing will be held and a final decision will be taken. It may take three to four months to complete the whole process.
Last year for the financial year 2020-21 also in December, JBVNL had proposed to increase the electricity tariff. But last year, due to Corona infection, two members of the commission did not increase the electricity tariff of the domestic consumers while giving a decision in favor of the consumers.
Due to the commission being defunct in 2021-22, there was no increase in this financial year as well. In the current financial year (2022-23) till November 30, the commission has not taken any decision on the electricity tariff of JBVNL. Because the appointment of the chairman and members in the commission was done very late. That is why still the same tariff of 2019-20 is applicable in the state.