Photo Courtesy: tripuratimes
Agartala: The Tripura government will shoulder the full cost of recent electricity tariff hikes. Power Minister Ratan Lal Nath announced the move on Friday, sparing nearly 10 lakh consumers from rising utility bills. The state is picking up the tab for domestic, commercial, agricultural, and industrial users. The policy excludes railway traction, while defense sites and national broadcasters receive a 15 percent subsidy.
This relief is retrospective, dating back to May 2026. Anyone who already paid the higher rates will see adjustments over the September, October, and November billing cycles. Refunds are coming. The state exchequer is putting up 77.57 crore rupees, plus another 117.13 crore rupees to cover the gap. This marks a first for the state. Nath called it a "historic step in consumer welfare."
The Tripura Electricity Regulatory Commission ordered the tariff hike to fix revenue gaps, following a Supreme Court directive. The decision sparked outcry from residents and local businesses. Chief Minister Dr. Manik Saha intervened personally, cutting short a Delhi trip to fast-track the relief package. Nath noted that while the previous Left Front government oversaw a 116.03 percent hike between 2010 and 2018, the current administration has kept increases to 40.42 percent over eight years. Global gas prices surged 196 percent in 2022, yet the state held off on price hikes until the regulatory body forced the issue.
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