HP govt provides subsidy of Rs 190 cr to power consumers

Shimla, Jun 1: The Himachal government is providing subsidy of Rs 190 crore to provide relief to 17-lakh domestic power consumers, Chief Minister PK Dhumal said.

He said that the State Electricity regulatory Commission (SERC) had hiked the power tariff for domestic consumers in 2011 and 2012 but the government took a conscious not to transfer the burden on consumers and provided a subsidy of Rs 166 crore last year and further increased it to Rs 190 crore during the current year.

Besides subsidising the domestic consumers, the government also supplied four CFL bulbs free of cost to domestic consumers under Atal Bijili Bachat Yojana for saving energy, and it helped in saving energy worth about Rs 100 crore, the Chief Minister added.

He added that free denture is being provided to elders of BPL families above 65 years of age and subsidised foodgrains are being provided to all ration card holders including the above poverty line families.

Dhumal claimed the government is making a serious endeavour to upgrade the educational infrastructure by expanding the network of educational institutions with private participation.

PTI