Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma announced a potential reduction in power tariffs for consumers using less than 300 units, starting April 1, 2025. The Assam Power Distribution Company Limited (APDCL) has been instructed to explore the feasibility of lowering the tariff by ₹1, provided other factors remain stable.
Chief Minister Sarma highlighted the state's successful reforms in the power sector, which have enabled the three electricity boards to become self-sufficient. He emphasized the importance of providing relief to consumers, especially middle-class families in Assam.
“We have done a lot of reforms in the power sector and these reforms have clearly helped the three electricity boards to stand on their own feet. Today, just like we get dividends from Assam Power Generation Corporation Limited (APGCL), similarly, APDCL has a big responsibility to give relief to the consumer because whatever we do, the end goal should be our consumers or the citizens of Assam,” said Sarma.
He noted that the current tariff for consumers using up to 300 units is ₹5.85 per unit. He urged APDCL to plan for a six-month period to ensure that by April 1, 2025, the tariff could be reduced by ₹1, bringing it down to ₹4.85 per unit. Sarma also suggested that if conditions remain favorable, there could be an additional reduction of ₹0.50 per unit by 2026, resulting in a total reduction of ₹1.50 per unit.
Sarma acknowledged that traditionally, electricity prices tend to rise annually, but he expressed his determination to reverse this trend without causing financial losses. He called for stringent measures against electricity theft and timely bill payments to achieve this goal.
“In this election, when I talked to people during the campaign, many poor people asked me if the electricity cost can be reduced,” Sarma added, underscoring the significant impact this reduction would have on the common man.
The proposed tariff reduction, if implemented, would bring substantial relief to Assam’s middle-class families, aligning with the government's commitment to prioritizing consumer welfare.