Bengal has lower power tariff than BJP states, says minister

Kolkata: Reiterating the massive development work undertaken in the power sector, state’s Power minister Aroop Biswas said at the state Assembly on Wednesday that the power tariff in Bengal is less in comparison to BJP-ruled states like Uttar Pradesh, Assam, Bihar, Maharashtra and Rajasthan.

“Bengal’s power tariff per unit is less than most of the states. Majority of the ‘double engine’ (where BJP in power) states have higher tariff compared to Bengal. In Assam, the power cost is Rs 9.55 per unit, in Bihar it is Rs 9.13, Maharashtra Rs 8.91, Rajasthan Rs 7.89, Uttar Pradesh Rs 7.64. In Bengal it is Rs 7.12. Moreover, loadshedding has now become a thing of the past,” Biswas said during the question-answer session.

Power tariff figures with the state Power department shows the following: Karnataka has Rs 9.83 per unit, Tamil Nadu with Rs 8.75, Andhra Pradesh Rs 8.25, Himachal Pradesh Rs 7.74, Uttarakhand Rs 7.27, Jharkhand Rs 7.71, Delhi Rs 7.64, Kerala Rs 7.16 and Punjab Rs 7.16 per unit. All have higher power tariffs than Bengal.

According to Biswas, in the last five years Bengal added capacity both in thermal as well as solar power. Power plants were modernised. Two thermal power plants each of 500 MW capacity came up at Sagardighi in Murshidabad. Another super critical thermal power plant with a capacity of 660 MW is coming up in Sagardighi and work is in the final stages.

Eight solar power generating units with a total capacity of 192.2 MW have come up in different places in the state. The maximum solar power generation out of these units come from the one at Goaltore in West Midnapore that has a capacity of 112.5 MW.

Three old thermal power stations — at Bandel (Hooghly), Sagardighi and Kolaghat (East Midnapore) — have been modernised involving an expenditure of Rs 2,450 crore.