Ludhiana, July 11 (KNN) Time and again, Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) in Punjab has raised the issue of power tariff hike in the state and accused Congress government for not fulfilling its poll promise of providing electricity to industrialists at Rs 5 per unit.

Irked by the power hike, industrialists stood against the Punjab State Government and Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL) and staged a protest against them in Ludhiana.

After protest by Punjab MSMEs, the Industry Minister of Punjab, Sundar Sham Arora stepped into the matter and said the concern has been observed and PSPCL has been ordered that unit of power for small power (SP) consumers should cost Rs 5 per unit.

When KNN India spoke to President, Federation of Punjab Small Industries Association (FOPSIA), Badish Jindal, he said, “Around two years back the per unit charges was Rs 7 to 8 which was promised to bring down to Rs 5 in the Congress’s election Manifesto. Now, 13 to 15 percent excise duty is being imposed and 2 percent corporation cess and other fix charges of per kilo volt per hour (KVH) which concludes in rise of unit charges from Rs. 12 to 14 per unit. In low consumption of power, rates are higher and in high consumption it comes low but not below 8 Rs. per unit”.

The Government should not stand in back foot after the promise done by them in their election manifesto, he added.

This is not the first time, Punjab MSMEs voiced the concern, later in the month of May, United Cycle Parts and Manufacturers Association (UCPMA) held a meeting over the proposed hike in power tariff rates by PSPCL and KNN India spoke to Rajeev Jain, General Secretary of UCPMA over this matter.

He had said “When Punjab government was elected 2.5 years back, they had promised to give electricity at the rate of Rs 5 per unit and as per the promise they started giving electricity at this rate but has imposed some taxes on it due to which the price of per unit of power is almost double now.”

He said “We want that the government should stick to its promise of providing power at net price of Rs 5 to us without any extra tariffs and charges”, he had added.