Power tariff for domestic and industrial consumers has been hiked in Tamil Nadu with effect from Sunday.
The hike ranging from 30 paise to Rs 1.10 per unit would fetch an additional revenue of Rs 1,651 crore to the State Electricity Board, facing a deficit of Rs 6,451 crore in the current fiscal.
However, domestic consumers, hut dwellers, power loom and handloom consumers, places of public worship and agriculture consumers using less than 300 units per month have been spared from the hike, Tamil Nadu Electricity Regulatory chairman D. Kabilan told reporters here.
Free power supply to small farmers would continue, he said adding that the last tariff hike was effected on March 16, 2003.
The increase would be Re 1 per unit for domestic connections consuming more than 300 units per month while industrial consumers would face an increase of 50 paise per unit in the High Tension (HT) category and 30 paise per unit in the Low Tension (LT) category.
For the first time, petty shopkeepers consuming less than 50 units would enjoy a tariff reduction of Re 1 per unit, Kabilan said.
He said the government was offering a subsidy ranging from 35 paise per unit to Rs 1.70 per unit for domestic consumers, Rs 1.10 to Rs 1.30 for handloom weavers, Rs 1.40 for power loom weavers and Rs 250 per HP for agriculture consumers.
According to TNERC officials, there are about 2.32 crore power consumers in the state and 2.15 crore consumers would not be affected by the revised tariff.