Lagatar24 Desk
Bengaluru, June 18: The unprecedented increase in electricity prices has prompted the Karnataka Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) to call for a bandh on June 22 across the state.
The first business organisation to officially oppose the tariff revision and give the government a deadline was KCCI.
“We request all the Trade and Industry to close their establishment on 22 June. This is in protest of abnormal price hike in the Electricity charges by ESCOM’s. For the last eight days, we have made attempts to convey the seriousness of the impact of the hike in electricity charges. However, no solution is forthcoming from the Officials or government representatives,” the Karnataka Chamber of Commerce and Industry said in a statement on Saturday.
“To draw the attention of the government, we are calling for this Bandh. We wish to find a solution and get a reduction in the electricity charges. We hope that the government will respond to our request,” the statement said further.
District Chambers of Gadag, Bijapur, Rancbennur, Raichur, Talikoti, Vijaynagar, Mysore, Davangere, Koppal, Bagalkoti, Dharwad, Sirsi, Karwar, Bidar, Shivamoga, Kolar, Mandya, Chickmangalore, Yadgir, Chitradurga, KalyanKamataka, Haveri, Hassan, Bellary and other Industry Associations have agreed to join the agitation, the statement informed.
More than two crore Karnataka residents can receive free electricity through the Gruha Jyothi initiative, according to the state’s Energy Minister, KJ George, who made the announcement on Wednesday.
Only consumers whose average power consumption plus 10% of it is less than 200 units will be allowed to use the scheme, according to the Karnataka Energy Minister.
The Minister also said that customers who use more than their allocated number of units must pay for those excess units, plus 9% in taxes.
“If average power consumption plus 10 per cent is less than 200 units, it will be subsidised. Anything over and above that will have to be paid. Consumers who use more than the allotted units, have to pay for the extra units used. 9 per cent of tax will be included in it,” said KJ George, Karnataka Power Minister.
The scheme provides free electricity to all households with monthly energy usage below 200 units.
“Of the 2.16 lakh crore households with electricity connection, 2.14 lakh crore will benefit from the scheme,” said George.
He said the scheme would also be made available to the tenants.
“It can be their own house or rented house. They need to have a voter ID and should enrol through the Seva Sindhu portal of the State Government”, George said.
He added that the consumers must pay the outstanding balance.
