The Bangalore Electricity Supply Commission (BESCOM) has proposed a revision in power tariffs, leading to yearly price hikes until 2028. This plan involves raising tariffs by 67 paise per unit for 2025-26, 74 paise for 2026-27, and 91 paise for 2027-28.
This is the latest proposal for Karnataka Electricity Regulatory Commission (KERC); the first one was made earlier for 2024-25 and was again turned down. Even then, the government reassured that those consuming 200 units of electricity free of charge on the basis of state schemes will not be affected.
Who Will Be Affected?
The government officials declared that the tariff hike will not affect the people who use the free electricity schemes. However, others will need to bear the additional financial burden.
This development comes amid a series of recent price hikes on essentials like milk, fuel, water, and stamp duties. Critics note that this is not the first time the Siddaramaiah-led Congress government has raised electricity prices since coming to power.
Government Justifies the Hike
Energy Minister KJ George emphasized that the tariff hike is part of a routine process managed by ESCOMS and overseen by KERC. He dismissed opposition concerns, stating:
“Even if there is an increase, it won’t affect the common man since we are already providing 200 units of free electricity. The opposition should explain why similar hikes occurred during their tenure without any guarantees.”
Karnataka Cabinet Minister MC Sudhakar echoed this sentiment, highlighting KERC’s independence in tariff decisions and accusing the BJP of politicizing routine measures.
BJP MLA Uday Garudachar acknowledged the importance of tariff revisions but appealed to the Congress government to postpone implementation. He argued:
“This is not the time, as there are also a lot of other hikes and taxes that the common man is dealing with.”
The BJP has criticized the state government for overburdening citizens amidst widespread price hikes across various sectors.
What Lies Ahead?
KERC is now examining BESCOM’s proposal, and even as it does so, the controversy regarding surging costs in the state remains a matter of heated political and public debate. The fate of these hikes and their further course will thus depend on the decision taken by KERC and responses from the public.
