Jharkhand News: After Holi, people in Jharkhand may get 'shocks' of electricity. Preparations are underway to increase the electricity rates in the state. Jharkhand Bijli Vitran Nigam Limited (JBVNL) has submitted a proposal to increase electricity prices by up to 20 percent before the State Electricity Regulatory Commission.

The Commission has studied this proposal and by the end of this month public hearing will be organized in various divisions. After the completion of the process of public hearing, the commission will finalize the new rates.

According to official sources, the new rates will be effective from the coming month of April . The proposal made by Jharkhand Bijli Vitran Nigam Limited regarding the new rates is for the year 2023-24. Bijli Vitran Nigam has shown a loss of Rs 7400 crore and to make up for this loss, there is a need to increase the rates of electricity.

Annual Revenue Report (ARR) has been filed with the State Electricity Regulatory Commission for the financial year 2023-2024. According to this, the corporation has been told a loss of 2200 crores in 2020-2021, 2600 crores in 2021-2022 and 2500 crores in 2022-2023.

Electricity rates have not been increased for three years

The corporation has also argued that electricity rates have not been increased for the last three years, due to which the amount of deficit is increasing. The government did not make any increase during the Corona period. The posts of the Chairman and both the members were vacant in the Electricity Regulatory Commission, so the revision of electricity rates could not be considered.

In the tariff petition filed before the commission by JBVNL, a possible need of 9000 crores has been told for the expenditure.

It is being told that soon before fixing the new electricity rates, the Commission will hold public hearings in various divisions and take the opinion of the general public, entrepreneurs, JBVNL and people from other sectors and then seal the final rates.