Mumbai: You can be sure this is no April fool prank. The Maharashtra Electricity Regulatory Authority has given permission to power supply companies to hike electricity charges from April 1. The prices of buffalo milk, too, will go up by Rs 2 from that day. The move will not affect consumers of packaged milk of Amul, Gokul and Govardhan.
As per a MERC judgment of September 12, 2018, Mahavitaran, the State-run electricity power distribution company, Tata Power and Adani Power have been permitted to hike power tariffs, to recover Rs 8,268 crore from domestic, industrial and commercial consumers.
The new rates will be applicable from April 1, 2019. Adani Power supplies electricity to consumers in Mumbai suburban city. They will have to pay an additional 27 paise per unit for the first 100 units. This means, the rate for first 100 units will be Rs 4.77 per unit, while it will be Rs 7.90 from 101 to 300 units (previously Rs 7.64) and for consumers who use between 301 and 500 units, they will have to pay Rs 9.29 per unit (previously Rs 9.08).
Mahavitaran, which has consumers across the state, has increased the power tariff by 16 paise per unit. For the first 100 units, the consumer will be charged Rs. 5.46 per unit (previously Rs 5.30), for the next 101 to 300 units, the rate has been hiked by 24 paise per unit and for consumption of 301 to 500 units, the rate has been increased by 15 paise.
Mahavitaran is expected to get permission from MERC to recoup Rs 12,382 crore in losses through this tariff hike. However, the MERC is yet to authorise this hike.
According to an expert, after assembly polls, the MERC is likely to give the go-ahead. Milk consumers will have to pay an additional Rs 2 per litre for buffalo milk, which will be sold in the retail market at Rs 70-Rs 75 per litre. The wholesale rate was changed from Rs 64 to Rs 66 by milk producers in Mumbai on Friday.
