ISLAMABAD – The government has increased the power tariff by 6 percent for the consumers that will come into effect from today.
Ministry of Water and Power a few days back forwarded a summary to the prime minister asking to raise power tariff by six percent to be implemented from October 1. That has been accepted by him thus making the life of the public more miserable.
The already burdened and frustrated public of Pakistan, instead of enjoying any relief given by the government, has been attacked again in financial terms.
The consumers using up to 100 units would now be paying Rs 3.48 instead of Rs 3.29 per unit, the cost of the units ranging from 301-700 would be Rs 8.51 per unit instead of Rs 8.30 and the tariff has been increased by 60 paisas for units consumed more than 700.
The sources said that it is not the only and final increase for the near future, because there are two more phases of tariff increase scheduled in January and April 2009.
The summary sent to Prime Minister was just a formality and it had to be accepted because it is one of the major conditions put by the countryÂ’s loaners that the increase in price of electricity was a must and the subsidy would also be withdrawn from the power sector, official sources said.
Only the lifeline consumers utilising up to 50 units would be excluded from the effect of the raise in power tariff. Electricity price would be raised by 30 percent in total within next few months. Power tariff would be raised by 12 percent in January and 6 percent in April, sources said.
Apart from the IMF, World Bank and Asian Development Bank are also the major actors finalising and directing the government to increase power tariff.
They have allowed the government this year to provide Rs. 55 billion subsidy to power sector against PEPCOÂ’s total financial shortfall of Rs.132 billion in one year. The government is following the instruction of all these loan givers, with minor relaxations, but it is paying no heed towards the financial troubles of the public, the sources said.
The prices of everything are increasing, but when we see the income sources of the masses, there is no increase, rather a decrease and in that situation only a disaster can be expected and nothing else, sources feared.