Vijayawada:CPM State Secretariat member Ch Babu Rao accused the coalition government of imposing a heavy financial burden on electricity consumers despite claiming that power tariffs had not been increased. Addressing a press conference at the CPM office here on Thursday, along with State committee member D Kasinath, Babu Rao alleged that the government’s two-year power sector progress report contained “misleading claims” and “half-truths.”

He claimed that while the government says electricity tariffs have remained unchanged or even been reduced, consumers have been paying additional amounts through adjustment charges ranging from 62 paise to Rs 1.88 per unit over the past 24 months.

According to Babu Rao, electricity consumers have paid nearly Rs 21,885 crore through true-up and adjustment charges during the last two years. He alleged that the collections included Rs 6,072 crore for 2022-23, Rs 9,412 crore for 2023-24, Rs 1,400 crore relating to earlier years, besides around Rs 5,000 crore collected through an additional 40 paise per unit levy.

Questioning the government’s claim that power purchase costs had declined from Rs 5.42 to Rs 4.90 per unit, he asked why the benefit had not been passed on to consumers. He also alleged that the government had delayed payment of more than Rs 13,000 crore in power subsidies to distribution companies.

Babu Rao criticised the installation of smart electricity meters, alleging that the coalition government had abandoned its pre-election stand against the project. He demanded that the installation of smart meters be stopped and existing smart meters removed. He also sought an inquiry into the solar power agreement involving Adani Group and the Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI), alleging that the government had failed to act despite corruption allegations. Kasinath said the CPM would continue its campaign against smart meters, adjustment charges and what it described as the growing burden of electricity costs on consumers.