M A I N   N E W S

Punjab hikes power tariff by 9 pc

PATIALA, June 30 (UNI) — In a bid to make good its huge losses, the Punjab State Electricity Board has decided to hike power tariff for industrial and domestic consumers in the state by 8 to 9 per cent from tomorrow.

Announcing this at a news conference here, board Chairman H.S. Sohal said that free power to the agricultural sector would, however, continue. He said the revised power tariff would fetch additional revenue of about Rs 240 crore to the board by the end of the current financial year.

Replying to a question, he admitted that the board was suffering an annual loss of Rs 735 crore due to free power to the agricultural sector and subsidised power supply in rural areas. However, he said, that the Punjab Government had agreed to compensate the board by giving it a special grant of Rs 200 crore during the current financial year.

Meanwhile, in a statement at Chandigarh, the PSEB Engineers Association condemned as totally inadequate and illogical the tariff announced by the board.

Association general secretary Anil Miglani said while the government had safeguarded its vote bank by way of cheap populism, financial burden had been put on the board.

He said while fixing the tariff and terms and conditions for the supply of electricity, the board should not show undue preference to any person. He said the free power to 8 lakh tubewells without compensating the board was grossly violative of Section 49 and outrightly illegal, deserving to be struck down.