No hike in power tariff in Punjab for 2006-07

Chandigarh, May 10 (UNI) The Punjab State Electricity Regulatory Commission (PSERC) today announced no power tariff hike in the state for the year 2006-07.

The combined average cost of power supply in Punjab would remain at 329 paise per unit in this financial year (2006-07) as well, while the meter rentals have been substantially reduced in view of the reduced prices of the meters in the market, PSERC chairman Jai Singh Gill announced at a press conference here.

The agriculture tariff would remain 214 paise per unit, and the domestic consumers would contuinue to pay 221 paise per unit for the first 100 units. The cost beyond 100 units would remain the same at 368 paise up to 300 units in this financial years.

The industrial tariff, which also remains the same this fiscal, has bee proposed at the same rate of 337 paise for small power and 372 paise medium power capacity.

''No change in tariff is proposed in view of the fact that there is effectively no change in the combined average cost of supply,'' Mr Gill said, pointing out that the combined average cost of supply for 2006-07 has been worked out at 329.94 paise per unit against 329.42 paise last year.

Punjab State Electricity Board (PSEB) had proposed a uniform increase of over 17 per cent in power tariff hike for all categories of consumers for this financial year, he said.

He said the revenue gap for 2006-07 has been worked out at Rs 281.05 crore against Rs 1336 crore projected by the PSEB.

The overall revenue deficit of PSEB, however, stood at Rs 8.81 crore, after combining the effects of ''true up exercise'' for the year 2004-05, review of ARR for the year 2005-06, adjustment of excess government subsidy of Rs 113 crore and the revenue gap of Rs 281.05 crore for 2006-07.

UNI PS MP KN1830