Guwahati: The All Assam Electricity Consumers Association on Saturday said the electricity tariff announced by the Assam Electricity Regulatory Commission (AERC) for the 2026–27 financial year offers no real relief to consumers and renewed its demand for free power to poor households across the state. The association warned that retaining the current rates fails to address consumer grievances despite months of public protest against the distributor’s proposal.
In a statement after the AERC announcement, the association said the commission largely retained the existing tariff structure instead of reducing charges or introducing concessions, even though the Assam Power Distribution Company Limited (APDCL)’s proposal had drawn widespread objections from the public. The association described the outcome as a missed opportunity to deliver tangible relief to struggling households.
Association convenors Ajay Acharya and Hillol Bhattacharya said the commission may have avoided an upward revision because of public pressure, but by keeping rates unchanged it has not provided any substantive benefit to consumers. They urged regulators and the state government to take proactive steps to lower consumer bills rather than merely maintaining the status quo.
The association also alleged that the state government earned a profit of about Rs 400 crore from electricity tariffs last year, a figure it said demonstrates consumers were overcharged. Given that surplus, the convenors argued, tariffs should have been reduced for the current year instead of being kept at previous levels.
Pointing to precedents in other states, the association noted that jurisdictions such as Bihar and Delhi offer a free monthly allotment of electricity to domestic consumers. It criticised the BJP-led Assam government for not implementing a similar scheme despite repeated public demands.
Reiterating its core demand, the All Assam Electricity Consumers Association called on the state government to provide 125 units of electricity free per month to poor domestic consumers in Assam, saying such a measure would offer immediate relief to low-income households.
Original Source: https://nenow.in/north-east-news/assam/assam-electricity-consumers-body-demands-125-units-of-free-power-for-poor-households.html
Category: Assam,Northeast News,Top News
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Publish Date: 2026-03-08 20:02:00
