3 months ago
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CPI(M) State Secretariat subordinate Ch. Babu Rao connected Saturday (February 21) criticised the authorities for expanding the energy work by 94 paise per unit, thereby imposing an yearly load of ₹3,500 crore connected consumers amid claims to person reduced the charges by 13 paise per unit.
The authorities gave the work hike a ineligible backing by having the A.P. Electricity Duty (Amendment) Bill, 2026 passed successful the Legislative Assembly connected February 18 without immoderate interest for those who person to carnivore the burden, helium said successful a property release.
Mr. Babu Rao said the YSRCP authorities had issued G.O. No.7 connected April 8, 2022 for expanding the work from 6 paise to ₹1 per unit, but the High Court struck down the G.O. aft it was challenged by respective organisations and consumers. The TDP had astatine that clip powerfully opposed the work hike.
Now, alternatively of rectifying the mistake, the TDP-led conjugation authorities supported the hike and issued an ordinance connected December 19, 2024, for going up with the accrued energy work and adjacent approached the Supreme Court to overturn the HC orders.
While granting a enactment connected refund, the apex tribunal upheld the HC’s presumption that the hike was illegal. Nevertheless, the supra Bill was passed successful the Assembly, which paved the mode for collecting ₹1 per portion from each but home consumers, with retrospective effect from August 2021, said Mr. Babu Rao.
Further, helium said the YSRCP was keeping quiescent arsenic it was liable for the energy work hike and the conjugation authorities has conscionable acceptable the signifier for implementing the arguable decision.
He demanded that the authorities retreat the A.P. Electricity Duty (Amendment) Bill, 2026 and refund the wealth already collected from consumers, failing which the CPI(M) and different parties would organise Statewide protests.
