CHENNAI: There will be no power tariff hike for 3.5 crore consumers in Tamil Nadu this year, electricity and law minister R Nirmalkumar announced on Thursday.“As per consumer price index, we should have hiked the power tariff by 3.58% this year, but the TVK govt led by chief minister C Joseph Vijay is not going to increase the tariff,” he said at the release of the white paper on the TNEB’s financial health.He blamed the previous DMK govt for introducing the multi-year tariff formula, under which the power tariffs were revised every year affecting domestic consumers and MSME sector industries. “The previous govt was not bothered about the consumers, but we will not sign any paper approving tariff revision. If there are any challenges, we will face it,” said the minister.Later, Nirmalkumar clarified that the present subsidies to all categories of consumers would continue. It includes the 200 units of free power to consumers with a bi-monthly consumption of up to 500 units introduced by the govt. H said there is no additional burden on the state govt due to the decision as it does not have to release additional subsidies.
