With the ruling Telangana Rashtra Samithi receiving a rude shock in the just concluded by-election to Huzurabad assembly seat, the people of Telangana are also in for a major shock shortly in the form of a steep hike in electricity tariff and RTC bus fares.
The officials of the electricity department and that of TSRTC are learnt to have prepared their respective proposals for an increase in power tariff and bus fares.
The proposals would be put forth before the Telangana state cabinet likely to be held next week for approval.
In fact, the officials had prepared the proposals for power tariff hike and RTC fares last month itself and they were to be approved at the cabinet meeing, but chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao did not give clearance.
The reason was obvious: the TRS was facing the by-election in Huzurabad and any such harsh decision would harm the party interests. But now that the TRS has lost the election, the KCR government can take the decision without hassles.
The electricity department has claimed that there has not been any increase in power tariff in the last seven years after formation of the state.
If the government gives green signal for the tariff hike, the power distribution companies submit their proposals before the Telangana State Electricity Regulatory Commission (TSERC) and seek approval for immediate tariff hike.
Similarly, the RTC officials told KCR that the corporation was facing severe financial losses to the extent of Rs 3,000 crore. The fares have not been increased due to Covid-19.
“The diesel prices increased sharply in the last few months and as a result, the RTC is facing Rs 550 crore additional burden annually. Hence, there is a need to increase the RTC bus fares to overcome the losses,” the government sources said.