J&K Power Tariff Hike: Opposition Protests As Omar Abdullah Defends Decision

Opposition parties and allies of the Omar Abdullah-led government have opposed the nearly 7 per cent increase in electricity tariffs in Jammu and Kashmir, demanding an immediate rollback. The Joint Electricity Regulatory Commission (JERC) has approved a 6.8 per cent tariff hike, which will come into effect from September 1. Political parties have criticised the decision, arguing that it adds to the financial burden on households amid rising living costs.

The opposition has also accused the National Conference government of moving away from its election promise of providing 200 units of free electricity. The Congress, an ally of the ruling coalition, termed the tariff increase an "unjustified burden" and urged the government to reconsider the decision. Jammu and Kashmir Pradesh Congress Committee chief Tariq Hamid Karra maintained that electricity is an essential service and that consumers should have access to affordable and reliable power.

The BJP also criticised the tariff increase, describing it as a betrayal of the electorate. BJP leader Sunil Sharma pointed to the National Conference's election promise of 200 units of free electricity for households and questioned the timing of the tariff revision. The Peoples Democratic Party separately held protests in several areas, including candlelight vigils, demanding that the government withdraw the increase and provide relief to consumers facing higher household expenses.

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Chief Minister Omar Abdullah defended the decision, describing the increase as a compulsion arising from inflation, higher electricity costs and structural pressures in the power sector. He also compared the latest revision with previous tariff increases during earlier governments. Abdullah pointed out that electricity tariffs had risen by 14 per cent during the PDP-BJP government's tenure and by 15 per cent four years earlier, arguing that the current increase was comparatively limited after a four-year gap.

Abdullah also rejected the suggestion that his government had promised to freeze electricity tariffs. He clarified that the National Conference's commitment was to provide 200 units of free electricity to the poorest households through a solar-based scheme. The Chief Minister maintained that this promise was different from a blanket commitment to keep electricity tariffs unchanged, while the opposition continued to argue that the latest hike contradicts the spirit of the election pledge.

The tariff dispute has now emerged as a major political issue in Jammu and Kashmir, with the government defending the increase on financial and structural grounds while opposition parties demand its withdrawal. With the revised rates scheduled to take effect from September 1, political pressure is likely to continue as parties debate electricity affordability, the government's election commitments and the financial challenges facing the power sector.

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