Shekhawat blames Rajasthan Cong for soaring electricity rates

Union Minister of Jal Shakti Gajendra Singh Shekhawat said that the present Congress government in Rajasthan has conspired and looted electricity consumers. He said, “Due to the failure of Congress and economic mismanagement, the most expensive electricity in the country is available in Rajasthan today. The Rajasthan government is working to exploit 1 crore 39 lakh electricity consumers. In 2018, the price of electricity in the state was Rs 5.55 per unit, which has now increased to Rs 11.90 per unit. Before coming to power, Congress had promised not to increase the cost of electricity in Rajasthan, but after coming to power, they raised the rates nine times in the name of fuel surcharge.” Meanwhile, the Rajasthan High Court has put a stop to collecting special fuel surcharge in an old case.
Union Minister of Jal Shakti Gajendra Singh Shekhawat said that in 2018, a thermal-based power plant agreement was signed in Kawai, Baran, between Adani Rajasthan Limited, the Rajasthan government, and DISCOM. He added, “According to the agreement, the Rajasthan government had to allocate a coal block to the power company that built the power plant. However, unfortunately, the government of Rajasthan, after changing, failed to allocate the coal block. Due to the non-allocation of the coal block, the power-producing company Adani Rajasthan Limited had to import coal from Indonesia at a higher rate. After buying coal at a high rate, the power company appealed to change the electricity rates to recover the increased cost from the Rajasthan government. The power company said that we should be compensated for the losses we are incurring. After this, the authorities decided in favour of the power-producing company. However, both DISCOM and the Rajasthan government went to the Appellate Tribunal to appeal.”
Electricity company can only recover up to 70% of the cost
Union Minister of Jal Shakti Gajendra Singh Shekhawat said that while deciding the appeal, the Appellate Tribunal said that the power company can recover up to 70% of the cost price of Rs 5,000 crore. Shekhawat said, “Hurt by this order, the Rajasthan government went to the Supreme Court where the Supreme Court ordered the producing company to recover 50% of the money and Rajasthan’s electricity-producing companies to pay 50% of the money immediately. The Rajasthan government did not have the money, so the government delayed payment once again. Due to this, the interest kept increasing, and then the producing companies went to the Supreme Court again.”