Raipur. In Chhattisgarh, Chief Minister Vishnudev Sai has given a grant of Rs. 1000 crore to provide relief to electricity consumers in electricity rates. Appreciating this, many consumer protection, industrial and women organizations of the state have expressed their gratitude to Sai.

In a letter sent to Chief Minister Sai (CM Vishnudev Sai), Chairman of Chhattisgarh State Electricity Consumer Protection Council Mohan Anti said that the relief given by you has played a very special role in the new electricity rates declared by the Chhattisgarh State Electricity Regulatory Commission for the electricity consumers of the state on June 1, 2024. He said that the new government had inherited a loss of Rs 4,420 crore as a gift, if new electricity rates were declared on that basis, an increase of about 21 percent was estimated. The letter said, it is our good fortune that the state has got a simple, gentle, sensitive but strong Chief Minister like you. The 21 percent increase which was estimated stopped at an average of 8.35 percent in all categories due to your sensitivity. Your decision has proved to be a boon for domestic consumers.

On one hand, you have continued with the Half Electricity Bill Scheme and made a provision for it in your annual budget, while on the other hand, the rates for domestic and non-domestic consumers have been increased by only 20 paise per unit, which is negligible and affordable. The grant of Rs 1000 crore approved by you on behalf of the state government to provide relief to the electricity consumers of the state cannot be praised enough. This relief will actually prove to be a huge economic support for the poor and middle class people of the state.

Shyam Kabra, President of Chhattisgarh State Electricity Upbhokta Mahasangh, has said that due to the intervention of the Vishnudev Sai government of the state, consumers were saved from a major electric shock. The distribution company had estimated a revenue loss of Rs 4420 crores. After testing, the commission accepted it as Rs 2819 crores. In this also, it was decided that the state government will reimburse Rs 1000 crores. In this way, there was an increase of only 8.5 percent in the electricity rate. In case the government did not reimburse, an increase of 20.45 percent was estimated.

Swati Kashyap, Secretary of Navchetan Jankalyan and Mahila Utthan Samiti, has sent a letter to Chief Minister Sai and said that we heartily congratulate you on behalf of all the women of the state. We wholeheartedly appreciate the support you have given to the women power of the state in the form of Matru Vandan Yojana. Similarly, if the electricity rates in the state had increased by 21 percent, it would have affected women the most. The women power of the state would have had to bear the brunt of the bad policies of the previous government.

It has been said in the letter that we express our gratitude to the central leadership of BJP for handing over the reins of the state government to a sensitive person like you. Due to your working style and policies, new records of power development have started being made in the state. We are confident that you will continuously take forward the series of public welfare schemes. Manjari Bakshi of Swadeshi Jagran Manch, Professor Shraddha Mishra of Amity College etc. have praised this decision of Chief Minister Sai. They have said that by giving a grant of Rs 1000 crore to maintain the balance of electricity rates, Chief Minister Shri Sai has set an ideal example. On one hand, this measure will allow the power company and the Electricity Regulatory Commission to work with autonomy, while on the other hand, the common consumers will also get relief from the government.