Poll promise of free power: Questions over implementation of Congress’ Gruha Jyothi scheme 

As a powerplay is on for the Chief Minister’s seat after the polls, the Congress is in the spotlight for a powerful promise it made before it won the elections

As a powerplay is on for the Chief Minister’s seat after the polls, the Congress is in the spotlight for a powerful promise it made before it won the elections.

In January this year, the Congress leaders announced that if elected to power, they would provide 200 units of free electricity to every household in the State.

However, just a day before the election results were announced, the Karnataka Electricity Regulatory Commission (KERC) announced an average tariff hike of 70 paise per unit for all consumers, one of the steepest hikes in recent times. 

Soon after the Congress was declared to have a majority, curious citizens took to social media to ask power-related questions, ranging from what the tariff hike implies to how the promise would be kept.

As of now, there is one straight answer: the average 70 paise tariff hike is valid until the next tariff revision.

Speaking to The Hindu, P. Ravikumar, chairman, KERC, said, “There is going to be no change in tariff. The implementation of whatever has been promised is on the government. They might either cover the bills by directly paying to the electricity supply companies (Escoms) or by transferring the amount to the consumers’ accounts,” he said. 

Under some of the current subsidy schemes, including the one where 75 units of power are provided for free to SC/ST families, the government has opted the direct benefit transfer system where consumers are reimbursed after the bill is paid.