Roll back of hike in electricity tariff : Rouf Bhat

Srinagar October 15 : PDP leader and Additional spokesperson Rouf Bhat has expressed serous  concern over hike in power tariff approved by Joint Electricity Regulatory Commission (JERC) and the administration to roll back the hike given the distressing economic situation in Jammu and Kashmir.
In statement issued to Kashmir News Service (KNS), Bhat said people of Jammu and Kashmir are grappling with serious and distressing economic situation which are providing here post COVID lockdown and uncertain situation.
He said that at a time when the administration should have come up with measures and policies to revive economy and livelihood of people, on the contrary it is hiking taxes and power tariff which is burdening losses of the people and business sector.
He said that hiking power tariff in the situation prevailing in absence of an elected government in Jammu and Kashmir indicates an unfriendly administration which is hardly concerned about welfare of the people.
He said that instead of hiking lower tariff, the administration should have worked out a plan to buy back the hydroelectric power projects of Jammu and Kashmir from NHPC and other private companies to became a self sufficient power generating and power seller.
“The present administration has given on a platter several hydroelectric power projects to private companies which results in such arbitrary decisions of hiking power tariff every now and then,” he said.
He said that PDP always envisioned and demanded that power projects from NHPC and other companies should be bought back so that Jammu and Kashmir becomes a power seller rather than a buyer.
“If the present administration had any vision or concern for welfare of the people here, it would have made policies for return of power projects rather than increasing the tariff,” he said.