PANAJI
Power is to cost more in Goa with the State government imposing a duty ranging from 20 paise to 70 paise per unit for domestic and other category consumers with immediate effect.
The duty will be charged on the units of energy consumed in each billing cycle beginning with the July bills as the notification issued by the Chief Electrical Engineer, Stephen Fernandes, states it comes into force on its publication.
While it is 20 paise per unit consumed for the low tension domestic, agricultural (irrigation) and temporary supply connections, the duty is being charged at 70 paise per unit for low tension commercial and industrial consumer and low tension hotel industry consumers.
It is also pegged at 70 paise per unit for Hoardings and Signboards, temporary commercial connections and the high tension consumers from industry and the ferro-metallurgical power intensive units.
Interestingly, at a time when electric vehicles are being encouraged to beat pollution and reverse climate change, the duty levied for power at EV Charging Station is also at the higher 70 paise per unit level.
This levy of duty on power units consumed comes at a time when the Electricity Department's power tariff petition proposing a hike is pending before the Joint Electricity Regulatory Commission (JERC) for adjudication and verdict.
The department, which caters to a total of 6-lakh plus domestic, commercial and industrial consumers has been making losses year after year, which the State government covers through budgetary support.
In the two financial years between 2020-22, the State government absorbed a whopping Rs 600 crore of revenue shortfall of the department.
