No hike in electricity price as JERC rejects recommendation to hike power tariff by 10.25% in Chandigarh

Chandigarh: Chandigarh, the capital of Haryana and Punjab, has got a big relief. Now electricity rates will not increase in the city.

The Joint Electricity Regulatory Commission (JERC) has rejected the recommendation for a 10.25 per cent hike in the city. This recommendation was made by the UT administration, after which there was a stir among the citizens.
According to the information, it has now been reported that the Joint Electricity Regulatory Commission (JERC) has rejected the recommendation made by the UT Administration for an increase in electricity rates for the financial year 2023-24.
The UT administration had decided to charge Rs 10 per bill for online payment of electricity bills and Rs 20 per bill for offline payment. JERC has directed not to implement this decision of the UT administration. There is no provision for bill payment in the UT’s electricity department, due to which payment is made online and offline through contact centres in UT.
For the last 10 years, there was no tax on payment of electricity bills, but the UT has decided to impose service tax on payment through contact centers from March 2023. The JERC made it clear that if the UT electricity department does not have any means to pay the bill from the consumers, then in such a situation, the burden should be put on the department instead of passing it on the consumers.