Bhubaneswar, February 2025: The Odisha Electricity Regulatory Commission (OERC) will hold public hearings starting today regarding the proposed electricity tariff hikes by various electricity distribution companies for the 2025-26 financial year. The hearings will continue until February 27. If the OERC accepts the companies’ proposals, electricity rates may rise. Before the public hearings, the Odisha Electricity Consumers’ Federation has warned that it will not tolerate any tariff hikes. The Federation has also demanded that the extra 90 paise per unit collected from consumers in previous years be refunded. In case of a tariff increase, the Federation has stated that it will respond with mass protests.
Federation President Panchanan Kanungo and spokesperson Ravi Behera have pointed out that according to the Central Electricity Authority’s 2021-22 report, consumers in Odisha have been paying 5.8 paise per unit more compared to other states across India.
The companies have charged consumers 5.98 paise extra per unit, which means around 1 crore consumers in Odisha have been paying excessive charges for a long period.
Under the central electricity laws, all state governments were required to provide tariff relief, but Odisha’s government has failed to do so. The Federation has demanded that the OERC instruct the companies and state government to refund the extra charges collected from consumers immediately. Failure to act on this could result in widespread protests in the state.
In this context, it was highlighted that despite the ongoing issues with power cuts and frequent outages, steps like raising electricity rates are being taken to compensate the companies for their losses. The Federation emphasized that Odisha, a major electricity-producing state, has seen its consumers suffer under exploitation by electricity companies. The Federation has also scheduled a meeting on February 18 to plan protests against the hike.
Consumers have demanded the refund of 90 paise per unit, as companies have been charging this extra amount for a long period. Meanwhile, Odisha’s government continues to fail in offering relief to consumers, leaving them dissatisfied.
Lord Jagannath’s Grand Bath Ceremony Delayed
Puri, February 16: On Sunday morning, after the customary ritual at the Shri Mandir, a large crowd gathered to witness the wooden idol darshan. During this period, blood stains were seen near the wooden deity. As a result, the grand bath ceremony for Lord Jagannath was delayed.
It is noteworthy that a proposal from Gridco for an additional 54 paise per unit increase has already been submitted to OERC for the upcoming financial year. A public hearing regarding this will be held on February 19. Odisha was one of the first states where electricity reforms began, aiming to provide affordable and quality electricity to its citizens.
After three consecutive years without a tariff increase, the past year saw a slight reduction of 10 paise per unit for domestic consumers. On Monday, public hearings will be held for the proposals from both HPGCL and OPGC.
After the delay in the grand bath ceremony, the ritual concluded successfully. The delay in the ceremony affected the timely completion of other rituals, including the grand bath.