YSRCP demands withdrawal of proposed power tariff hike

The YSR Congress Party on Saturday said it would strongly oppose the Congress government's move to raise power tariffs in the state from this Financial Year.

The government's proposal to increase the power charges to net Rs 10,000 crore is being sent to the State Power Regulatory Commission and when the matter comes up for public hearing, we will strongly oppose the move and resort to agitation, YSRCP spokesperson Janak Prasad told reporters in Hyderabad.

Accusing ruling N Kiran Kumar Reddy government of being indifferent to the cause of people, Prasad said the state government has already burdened the consumer with Rs 17,000 crore during 2012-13 and now it has forwarded a proposal to mop up Rs 10,000 crore during FY 2014. Former chief minister late Y S Rajasekhara Reddy had never hiked power charges during his stint. But after his death the Congress government decided to increase the charges and in an unprecedented move has started collecting the arrears in the form of Fuel Surcharge Adjustment (FSA), Prasad alleged.