UPCL’s claims were also exposed along with the tariff proposal for huge increase in electricity rates in the state. UPCL was claiming only 7.72 per cent hike even after sending the revised proposal. In fact, the regulatory commission had asked UPCL to send the proposal by removing the 6.5 per cent surcharge.
When the proposal was sent on December 26, ‘Amar Ujala’ had published the news of 16.96 per cent increase in its December 27 issue under the title ‘Electricity can become exorbitantly expensive, UPCL has sent a new proposal’. After this, UPCL had claimed that the new proposal only includes 7.72 per cent hike, no changes have been made in it.
UPCL also misled the media according to this claim. ‘Amar Ujala’ raised the question that even if the surcharge is reduced to 6.5 percent, how can there be an increase of 7.72 percent? UPCL’s claims were exposed when the regulatory commission proposed the tariff online. It is clear that UPCL has demanded 16.96 percent increase in writing.
This is proposed tariff
Category – Current rate (Rs/unit) – Proposed rate (Rs/unit) – Percentage increase
| Domestic | 4.98 | 5.41 | 8.72 |
| None Domestic | 6.97 | 8.33 | 19.56 |
| Government Public Utilities | 6.46 | 7.93 | 22.92 |
| Private Tubewell | 2.20 | 2.41 | 9.73 |
| Industry | 6.56 | 7.80 | 19.01 |
| LT Industries | 6.54 | 7.77 | 18.75 |
| HT Industries | 6.56 | 7.80 | 19.02 |
| Mixed load | 6.01 | 7.20 | 19.72 |
| Railway Traction | 5.79 | 6.71 | 15.77 |
| Electric Vehicle | 5.50 | 6.25 | 13.64 |
| Total = | 6.08 | 7.11 | 16.96 |
