O. Panneerselvam opposes electricity tariff hike, demands withdrawal

‘Private educational institutions, hospitals and private hostels would pass on the increase on the people’

Strongly opposing the increase in electricity tariff for domestic category, former Chief Minister O. Panneerselvam on Sunday condemned the DMK government and sought rollback of the steep rise.

In a statement, Mr. Panneerselvam recalled assurances in the DMK's election manifesto that it would increase the free electricity for handloom weavers to 300 units and would increase free electricity for powerlooms to 1,000 units.

"The DMK, which came to power with these hollow promises, has not only failed to implement these assurances but has instead imposed unbearable additional burden on the people. This is like adding insult to the injury," Mr. Panneerselvam said.

Even when a proposal for increasing the electricity tariff was announced in July this year, he had opposed the move, Mr. Panneerselvam recalled. The Tamil Nadu Electricity Regulatory Commission's announcement encouraging consumers to voluntarily give up the free 100 units of power was a "huge shock".

The DMK government, which had assured in its election manifesto that a monthly payment system would enable a user household (for less than 1,000 units) to save up to ₹6,000 annually, "has not implemented this assurance even a year after it came to power," Mr. Panneerselvam pointed out.

"But, those who are using less than 1,000 units are being forced to pay an additional ₹10,000 annually," Mr. Panneerselvam charged. Listing out the possible impact of the hike in electricity tariff on various goods and services, he pointed out: "Private educational institutions, hospitals and private hostels would pass on the increase on the people."

When the general public were already being hit by inflation, falling of Indian rupee against US dollar, property tax hike, cooking gas prices, cost of milk products, the hike in electricity tariff was “like adding fuel to the fire.” He urged the Chief Minister to take steps to immediately withdraw the hike in electricity tariff.