Arunachal collects over Rs 213 crore from power sector

Itanagar, Oct 27 (UNI) Arunachal Pradesh government has collected Rs 213.32 crore from power department during the last five years under pre-revised rate of power tariff, Chief Minister Gegong Apang informed the assembly. Responding to a question from BJP legislator Kipa Babu during question hour yesterday, Mr Apang said the amount estimated to be collected per year as per the new power tariff would be approximately Rs 78.32 crore. Explaining the reasons for sudden hike in tariff rates for supply of electricity to the consumers, the chief minister informed the house that the tariff was last revised during the year 2004 for all categories of consumers.

Normally, any other state of the country revised power tariff every year but in case of Arunachal, it was revised after a gap of six years, which was not sudden, he added. When asked whether the state government would extend extra facilities to consumers for paying higher rates, Mr Apang informed that the government had already taken up steps to provide electronic meters free of cost to the consumers under accelerated power development and reform project.

The quality and reliability of power would improve, by taking up system improvement schemes with resources raised from the revenue earned with the new tariff, Mr Apang said and added that the government would introduce computerised billing and accounting systems, to provide more transparent and quicker services to the consumers. He further informed that the new revised tariff would benefit more than four lakh population living below poverty line as there would be special dispensation for them.

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