Power Bill Declaration: J-K’s LG targets luxury gadgets, palatial homes for tariff

KULGAM — Jammu and Kashmir’s Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Monday made a big announcement, stating that the government will take care of poor man’s power bills but those having palatial houses, iPhones with 5G internet service and other gadgets have to pay power tariff as per their usage.

“Let me announce today that the government will take care of the poor who can’t afford to pay bills. But those who have palatial houses, iPhones with 5G internet data and other gadgets will have to pay power bills as per their usage. They shouldn’t at least make excuses in paying the power bills,” the LG said while addressing a gathering at Mini Secretariat in southern district of Kulgam, as per the news agency KNO. He, however, did not elaborate further on this.

He said that in the last 70 years, 3400 MW of power was generated locally in J&K and in the next three years, equal MWs will be produced.

The LG said that wherever a feeder is 100 per cent metered, power disruption won’t be just for a minute, let alone an hour or so. “I urge people to cooperate with us in getting the smart meter installation process completed as soon as possible,” he said.

The LG said that J&K people are getting the cheapest electricity compared to other states. “We have borrowed Rs 20,000 crore worth of electricity from outside in the past three to four years. This won’t do. People must pay as per usage,” he said.

“Given the J&K’s topography and snowfall, some projects get delayed. Delay in completion of projects has been given to us in legacy and we are trying to break this tradition of delay in projects’ completion,” he said.

About farmers, he said that at present J&K farmers’ income is at number five across the country and time is not far when “our farmers’ income will be number one.”