Mysore/Mysuru: At a time when the manufacturing sector is slowly looking up post COVID pandemic, the CESC’s decision to hike power tariff has raised the eyebrows of industrialists.

In a press release, the MSME Council condemned the CESC for its proposal to the Karnataka Electricity Regulatory Authority, seeking a hike in power tariff of HT power consumers.

Maintaining that CESC has sought power tariff hike for LT 5 and HT-2 A, B, C category consumers, the Council contended that a hike of Rs. 75 in respect of fixed charges per HP of power and Rs. 1.60 per unit is irrational. Taking strong exception to the hike proposal, the Council said CESC had hiked fixed power charges by Rs. 15 a HP and 15 paise a unit only in June last year and now the latest proposal will severely affect the small scale sector.

The Council also said that the CESC, which has failed to recover power dues of over Rs. 500 crore from Government Departments, has now targeted  the MSME sector, which is not a good sign for the growth of the manufacturing sector.  For details, contact Council office-bearer Suresh Kumar Jain on Mob: 99864-44654.