The Hindu Business Line : Marginal hike effected in Bengal farm power rates

CLOSE on the heels of the State Government putting on hold a restructuring programme for the State Electricity Board, the West Bengal Electricity Regulatory Commission (WBERC) passed the 2004-05 tariff revision order for the West Bengal State Electricity Board (WBSEB), increasing farm power tariffs while keeping large sections of the 43 lakh consumer base untouched.

Average tariff has been reduced to Rs 3.20 from Rs 3.22 per unit. Slabs have been left untouched while domestic consumers in the rural areas will either pay the same rate or would see their rates going down.

Urban domestic consumers with consumption up to 1,350 units per month would see their rates going down to Rs 4.29 per unit from Rs 3.80 now.

The tariff revision does not bring with it the burden of any arrear adjustment like CESC. This is so since the WBSEB has already been able to collect its 2003-04 rates through an interim award and its rates for earlier years were retained at the same levels. The present bill takes effect from April 1 (for which small adjustments would be necessary). However, it would be implemented from the August billing month.

Industry rates have either remained the same or have been brought down for large consumers with consumption levels above 3,500 units. They would pay Rs 3.95 per unit, against Rs 4.02 for operating in the rural areas and Rs 4.15 against Rs 4.22 for operating in the urban areas.

High voltage and bulk high voltage consumers will also see a decline in their power bill. Cold storages will pay at the same rate of Rs 2.47 per unit. Municipalities will however pay a higher rate of Rs 2.62 per unit against Rs 2.10 now. Cold storage plants for fish, seafood, potato and perishable vegetables should be given an eight per cent rebate.

On farm power, the WBERC order said that metered irrigation sets will pay at the rate of Rs 1.93 per unit against Rs 1.83 earlier. This would still be lower than the lowest slab of domestic consumers. The method of payment for unmetered irrigation sets have been changed from the earlier seasonal way of paying to a lump sum annual rate varying between Rs 4,430 and Rs 6,810.