Srinagar, Aug 24: Peoples’ Conference chairman and MLA Handwara Sajad Gani Lone on Monday slammed chief minister Omar Abdullah over his remark on recent power tariff hike in which the latter stated that “he never promised that rates wouldn’t increase”.
Lone highlighted that chief minister didn’t make such comparisons during elections when he sought votes from the people of Jammu and Kashmir.
On Monday, chief minister Omar Abdullah while replying to the queries of reporters said that his government had never promised that power rates would not rise. CM Omar reiterated that the government’s commitment was to provide 200 units of free electricity to the poorest households. “I repeatedly explained in the Assembly that under the free electricity scheme, we would use solar panels to deliver this benefit to people,” he said.
Taking on CM Omar heavily for his remarks, MLA Handwara Sajad Lone wrote on X: “Power tariffs in J&K cannot be suddenly compared to tariffs in other states at the pleasure of CM sahib. Power tariffs in J&K will be compared with tariffs in J&K in the past. What is this selective comparison. You didn’t make these comparisons during elections.
And CM sahib has made a statement that he never said that he will not increase tariffs. To rejig CM sahib’s memory I am attaching the relevant page from NC election manifesto.
The increase of 6.8% translates into an increase of more than 500 crores. This money has to be borne by the consumers.
And these unsuspecting consumers were waiting for free 200 units of power per month, as promised by CM sahib in his Party’s election manifesto.
This is not the first increase. In the non-metered areas, electric load per household was increased, thereby increasing the bill by about 10%.
We did not hear a word about tariffs in other states during elections. And all we heard was the free 200 units of power per month.
You had promised this free power for all. Once in power you said only AAY ration card holders will get it. That should be 200000 families approximately.
CM sahib you have been in power for 22 months. You owe each consumer ( 22*200) 4400 units of power. That’s equal to 11000 rupees. And for 200000 AAY households that is equivalent to 2200000000, which is 2200 crores.
CM sahib owes 2200 crores to the people and has the audacity to put a burden of 500 crores.
Have some shame. Pay up. These are the poorest of the poor souls in J&K. You lied to them through your teeth. And on the basis of those lies rode to power”.
