Lucknow, Oct 16 (UNI) Samajwadi Party (SP) president Akhilesh Yadav today said that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government in Uttar Pradesh has completely ruined the power system.
In a statement issued here, Akhilesh said, “Frequent power cuts and increased electricity tariffs have made life difficult for the people. The Power Corporation itself is flouting its own rules and regulations.”
He said that from September 10 to October 6, 1.74 lakh applications were received for new electricity connections in the state, of which 37,043 cases remained pending due to the increased tariffs. “The Electricity Consumer Council also requested the refund of the money collected from applicants until a final decision is made regarding smart prepaid meters,” he said.
The SP chief said that the Electricity Act 2003 was cited in this regard. “This Act provides for consumers to choose between prepaid and postpaid meters, but departmental arbitrariness prevails. Due to policy flaws in the Power Corporation’s functioning, there are conspiracies to recover losses from consumers. The Power Corporation has made it mandatory to purchase a prepaid meter with any new power connection. The government intends to mortgage the power system to capitalists,” he alleged.
He said that the government has not produced a single unit of electricity, yet it has already started looting consumers by charging expensive electricity and installing smart meters in homes. “Electricity connections for the poor will now cost 6,000 rupees instead of 1,000 rupees. In villages, the connection charge for 1 kilowatt of load was 1,172 rupees, now it has increased to 6,216 rupees, representing a 5.3-fold increase,” he said.
Akhilesh alleged, “With the support of the BJP government, the Power Corporation is bent on imposing its unilateral decisions. Consumers are being forced to accept connections and expensive electricity at inflated rates without informing the regulatory commission.”
The SP chief said that inflation has risen dramatically due to profiteering, extortion from companies and commissions from contractors. “The BJP has unleashed a plunder of electricity connections for everyone from street vendors to small shopkeepers, businessmen and factories. Businesses face significant problems due to power outages and frequent power outages, which is why no one wants to invest in the state,” he said.
He said, “Inflation, unemployment and corruption have reached their peak under the BJP government. Jobs are not on the BJP’s agenda. The middle class, the poor and labourers are all suffering under this government. Only by removing the BJP government in 2027 will people find relief.”
