By TC News Desk
Agartala, September 24: CPIM leader and former Power Minister Manik Dey on Sunday urged the Regulatory Commission to revisit the petition submitted by TSECL and reconsider the sudden increase in electricity tariffs. He raised concerns regarding the recent decision by the Regulatory Commission to raise electricity tariffs by seven percent based on TSECL’s petition.
In a press conference held at the CPIM state office on Sunday, Manik Dey pointed out that during the tenure of the previous government, no decisions were made to increase electricity tariffs after 2014. However, he highlighted that the Left Front government, which took office after 2014, remained committed to keeping electricity tariffs stable until 2018, abolishing load shedding, and addressing outstanding arrears.
Dey questioned the current government’s claim of a revenue deficit, noting that the public remains unaware of the underlying reasons for this deficit. He also emphasized that the corporation failed to collect or bill outstanding dues, a problem that extends to both government and private offices. Dey stressed that this issue could have been prevented through timely billing and the collection of outstanding bills.
The former Power Minister further accused the current government of increasing electricity bills in households three times since 2018, despite their assertions to the contrary. Dey raised questions about the discrepancy and emphasized that many households lacked proper meters, which further complicated matters for the electricity corporation.
Highlighting the potential for loss, Dey stated, “The increase in power tariffs also translates into losses for the power corporation.” He pointed out that the state was exporting electricity to Bangladesh and other countries, generating significant revenue. Dey suggested that a balanced income and expenditure could be maintained without raising electricity tariffs, emphasizing the burden being placed on consumers.
Manik Dey called for a thorough review of the recent electricity tariff hike by the Regulatory Commission, citing the need for transparency and fairness in this matter. Narayan Kar, Convener of the Left Front, also joined the organized press conference to express his support for the concerns raised by Manik Dey.
