Electricity bills: Govt finds new way to snatch relief from power consumers

The federal government has found a new way to snatch financial relief from power consumers by collecting hefty taxes after making an announcement to end fuel price adjustment for 17 million consumers, ARY News reported on Wednesday.

The tall claims of the federal government for providing relief to the nationals on inflated electricity bills proved to be a mirage. It emerged that the fuel price adjustment for June would not be completely waived for the power consumers using up to 200 units of electricity.

Sources told ARY News that the federal government decided not to collect a lump sum amount of Rs9.9 per unit but in phases from the protected domestic consumers.

Sources added that Rs3.9 will be collected from the protected domestic consumers in the August electricity bills, whereas, Rs1 per unit will be charged from the consumers on a monthly basis from October 2022 to March 2023.

READ: CONSTITUTIONAL PETITION FILED IN SC AGAINST INFLATED ELECTRICITY BILLS

The fuel price adjustment will not be collected from the consumers of 200 units of electricity in August, whereas, the non-protected consumers will pay Rs1.65 every month from October 2022 to March 2023.

The same payment criteria was finalised for the agriculture consumers as they will not be charged in August bills for paying the fuel price adjustment. The agriculture consumers will be charged Rs1.65 every month from October 2022 to March 2023.

The paid among of Rs9.9 for June will be adjusted to the electricity bills of September by the government, whereas, the electricity bills will be issued under a new procedure for those who have not paid their August bills.

READ: PM SHEHBAZ SHARIF SEEKS URGENT REPORT ON INFLATED ELECTRICITY BILLS

Yesterday, Federal Minister for Energy Khurram Dastagir Khan said that 17 million consumers are being given relief in fuel price adjustment charges.

During his visit to the Hyderabad Electric Supply Company’s (HESCO) headquarters, energy minister said that the government provided relief of 22 billion rupees to power consumers.

This relief is being given to the consumers of up to 200 units in view of the IMF issue, he said. The power consumers who have paid their bills, their bills will be adjusted under the new package, federal minister said.