No power tariff hike in MP this year: Minister

Bhopal, Dec 9 (PTI) The Madhya Pradesh government has decided not to hike power tariff this year, Minister for Energy Priyavrat Singh said on Monday.

Singh also alleged that former Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan and the BJP were spreading rumours that inflated bills were being served to power consumers.

"Though government-run power companies are facing huge deficit as inherited from the previous BJP regime, power tariff is not going to increase as is being speculated," Singh told reporters at a press conference.

Asked about the power companies' proposals, on the huge deficit, submitted to MP Electricity Regulatory Board (MPERC), the minister said, "During the hearing, the MPERC will be told that power companies will not hike tariff."

The minister alleged that Chouhan and BJP leaders were spreading rumours about inflated bills.

"Shivraj got a woman senior citizen, Jamuna Bai, on the stage during a rally in Sagar, saying power bills worth thousands were served to her. In fact, the bill served to Jamuna Bai for last month was only Rs 96 and she is a beneficiary of MP government's Indira Griha Jyoti Scheme," the minister said.

The minister said the BJP was misleading people and telling them not to pay the dues, adding that legal opinion would be taken on this if required.

He said in the month of October, the state government decided to provide subsidy worth over Rs 3400 crore to the beneficiaries of the Indira Griha Jyoti Scheme every year.

"So far, 1.86-crore power consumers have benefited from this scheme," he added.