Power tariff raised by 15 per cent

Gangtok, Mar 3 (UNI) Sikkim government has raised the power tariff by 15 per cent in a bid to bridge up the revenue gap and to supply quality power to the consumers.

The decision was taken at a meeting of the state cabinet chaired by Chief Minister Pawan Kumar Chamling here recently.

Official sources here today said the hike would cover all sections of consumers, including domestic consumers. The last hike in power tariff was made four years back.

The cabinet also approved the draft agreements with Madhya Bharat Power Corporation Ltd, New Delhi, Sneha Kinetic Project Ltd, Hyderabad, and BSC(P) Ltd Hyderabad for the development of 96 mw Rongnichu, 54 mw Dikchu and 117 mw Rangyong hydro power projects respectively.

The cabinet sanctioned Rs 3.5 crore for the establishment of a cardamom nursery, a green house structure and for replantation to rejuvenate the ailing cardmom cultivation, one of the major cash crops of the state.

A proposal of the Building and Construction Authority of Singapore to develop nine townships, an airport, agriculture export zone and hydro electric power generation plants was also approved by the cabinet.

The cabinet also approved a sum of more than Rs two crore for the purchase of relief and rescue materials to meet the exigencies in the event of a natural disaster like earthquake hitting the state.

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