Hyderabad: Telangana government’s plan to increase electricity tariff and RTC fare will increase the financial burden on people and their condition may deteriorate from bad to worse.
The people of the state have not fully recovered from the financial impact of the coronavirus lockdown and they are trying their best to meet both ends with great difficulty. In such a situation if the government increases electricity tariff and RTC fares it will face stiff opposition from the people.
After the end of the Road Transport Corporation employees strike in March 2020, the state government decided to increase the bus fares. But due to the situation arising in the wake of coronavirus lockdown the plan was kept in abeyance.
Similarly, the electricity department has presented a proposal to the Chief Minister that during the last six years the electricity tariff has not been increased due to which the electricity department is facing losses and thus the government was advised to increase the electricity tariff.
There is a strong reaction among the people in the wake of the government’s plan to increase RTC fares and electricity tariffs ostensibly on the ground that the economic situation in the state has improved.
Contrary to the government’s claim, the people believe that there might be an improvement in the government’s financial status but there is no improvement in peoples’ financial condition and they are still struggling to overcome the financial difficulties arising from the coronavirus lockdown.
In such a condition, people believe that the state government should avoid to increase further financial burden on the people.
After the March 2020 lockdown, people are demanding across the state to waive off the electricity bills and seeking concession in property taxes but so far the state government has not conceded their demands.
In these circumstances, if the government goes ahead with the increase in RTC fares and electricity tariff it will be tantamount to injustice to the people.
Before taking any steps the government, people believe, must take into account their financial difficulties and try to take into account the reality is on ground.
