Opposition slams govt; trade bodies call it ‘betrayal’

Srinagar, Aug 22: The 6.83 percent hike in electricity tariff has drawn sharp criticism from opposition leaders, a ruling party MP, and the business community, who questioned the government’s unfulfilled promise of 200 units of free electricity to households.
Leader of Opposition (LoP) in the J&K Legislative Assembly Sunil Sharma termed the hike a “betrayal” of the people, saying the NC came to power with a clear promise to provide 200 units of free electricity to every household.
“The NC government promised 200 units of free electricity to every household. But instead of fulfilling that commitment, people are now facing an increase in electricity tariffs. This is not relief; it is a betrayal of the trust placed in the government,” Sharma said.
The BJP leader said the 6.83 per cent hike, expected to come into effect from September 1, would further burden ordinary families already struggling with inflation and rising household expenses.
“The government must explain why the promises made to the people have not been fulfilled,” he said.
The LoP said the BJP would continue to raise the concerns of the people and hold the NC-led government accountable for the promises made during the 2024 Assembly elections.
Peoples Conference (PC) president Sajad Gani Lone said the 6.83 per cent hike is a “shock” for consumers who had been promised 200 units of free electricity in 2024.
In a post on X, Lone said the regulator had approved the 6.83 per cent hike while claiming to have avoided a tariff shock, but for the common consumer in Jammu and Kashmir, who was promised free power, the increase itself was a shock.
“Almost two years had passed since the Assembly elections, yet not a single rupee worth of benefit under the 200-unit free-power promise had been passed on to consumers,” he said.
The PC chief further alleged that apart from failing to deliver on the free-power promise, the government had increased the load in non-metered areas, pushing up monthly bills.
NC MP Aga Ruhullah Mehdi also hit out at the government, saying the same Chief Minister who had promised to “throw meters into the river” had now raised the power tariff by nearly seven per cent instead of providing the promised 200 free units.
He said the tariff hike contradicted the promises made to people ahead of the 2024 Assembly elections.
Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) MLA from Pulwama, Waheed Ur Rehman Parra said the tariff hike came at a time when “unemployment was at a peak, inflation was biting hard, and ordinary families were struggling to make ends meet”.
“From free tariff promises of relief to higher bills, what happened to the promise?” Parra said in a post on X. He questioned Chief Minister Omar Abdullah over the NC’s electoral commitments of 200 units of free electricity, free gas and free ration.
Apni Party president Altaf Bukhari slammed the tariff hike, saying the move would further trouble the people of Jammu and Kashmir. He questioned the government’s approach at a time when people were already facing economic pressures.
Meanwhile, the Kashmir Trade Alliance (KTA) opposed the tariff hike, saying the increase would further hit the J&K economy and add to the burden on traders and businesses.
The KTA said the hike could have wider economic repercussions, particularly for the business community already dealing with rising operational costs. (KNO)