Agartala, 21st August 2026 : In a major relief to electricity consumers, the Tripura government has decided to absorb the entire additional burden arising from the revised power tariff for 2026-27, Power Minister Ratan Lal Nath announced on Friday.
Addressing the media, Nath said the government would provide a 100 per cent subsidy on the additional charges imposed under the latest tariff order of the Tripura Electricity Regulatory Commission (TERC).
“The government has heard the grievances of the people and understood their difficulties. We have responded not merely with words, but with a concrete decision,” Nath said.
The subsidy will cover domestic consumers, farmers, small and large businesses and industries. Railway traction will be excluded, while a 15 per cent subsidy will be applicable to defence establishments, Railways, All India Radio, Doordarshan and other specified categories.
Nath said the relief would be effective retrospectively from May 2026. Consumers who have already paid electricity bills at the revised rates will receive adjustments for the excess amount in instalments through their September, October and November bills.
Explaining the tariff revision, the minister said electricity tariffs are determined by the independent TERC under the Electricity Act, 2003. TSECL and the state government, he said, do not directly determine the tariff.
He said the latest revision was also necessitated by the Supreme Court’s direction to State Electricity Regulatory Commissions to clear accumulated revenue deficits within a stipulated period.
Nath maintained that the government had protected consumers from tariff hikes for four consecutive years between 2019 and 2023 despite rising costs. Comparing the two regimes, he said the cumulative tariff increase during the BJP government’s eight-year period from 2018 to 2026-27 was 40.42 per cent, against 116.03 per cent during the corresponding eight-year period under the Left Front.
The minister said the decision to provide full subsidy was taken after the government received complaints over the sharp increase in the fixed-charge component, which had caused concern among households, farmers and small traders.
According to Nath, ₹77.57 crore had already been earmarked as subsidy, while an additional ₹117.13 crore would be spent to meet the full cost of the relief.
He said Chief Minister Dr. Manik Saha had personally intervened in the matter and held meetings with senior officials to work out the relief package.
“This is not merely an administrative decision. It is a message that this government stands with the people,” Nath said.
