No Electricity Tariff Hike in Delhi for 2020-21, Move to Benefit Over 62 Lakh Consumers

The Delhi government has decided not to hike electricity charges for the national capital for six years in a row, despite the fall in revenue due to Covid-19 pandemic. The Delhi Electricity Regulatory Commission (DERC) on Friday announced it will not hike power tariffs in the city for 2020-21.

The power regulator also waived 20 per cent surcharge under time of day (ToD) tariff for September to facilitate non-domestic, industrial, public utilities and domestic consumers due to the prevailing COVID-19 situation, the DERC said in a statement.

“The need and demands of power discoms have also been considered as far as possible,” its chairman Justice(retired) S S Chauhan said. To promote pollution-free transportation and clean environment, the Commission has decided to continue with subsidised tariff rates for e-rickshaw and e-vehicle category, it said.

Congratulating the people of Delhi, CM Arvind Kejriwal tweeted, “Congratulations to the people of Delhi. On one hand, while electricity rates are increasing year after year across the country, Delhi has not allowed the electricity rate to rise for six years and also reduced the rate in some areas. It is historic. This is happening because you formed an honest Government in Delhi.”

The decision to not increase the power tariff despite the fallen levels of revenue in the state will provide relief to over 62 lakh consumers. The chief minister had recently said that in the wake of the coronavirus-induced lockdown, the revenue of the Delhi government had fallen from Rs 3,500 crores in April month of the previous years to Rs 300 crores in 2020.

(With inputs from PTI)