UP Opposition Attacks Yogi Govt Over Power Tariff Hike Ahead of Festivals

Opposition parties in Uttar Pradesh sharply criticised the Yogi Adityanath-led BJP government after power tariffs were raised by about 12 to 15 percent ahead of the festival season. State power minister Shrikant Sharma defended the increase.

Opposition reaction

Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav said on Twitter that falling incomes and demand were hurting the country’s production, while the state had raised electricity charges. He claimed ordinary people, including traders, were fed up with the government, and said investment prospects in the state were weak because banks were unwilling to lend.

Bahujan Samaj Party chief Mayawati called the decision anti-people, saying it would add to the hardship of crores of hard-working people, and asked the government to reconsider it.

The government’s explanation

Sharma said in a statement that the decision by the Uttar Pradesh State Electricity Regulatory Commission (UPSERC) had taken consumers’ problems into account and kept the increase in the lower slabs to a minimum. He said the rebate for pre-paid meters had gone up from 1.25 to 2 percent and the regulatory surcharge of 4.28 percent had been withdrawn.

The minister blamed large consumers such as Indian Railways for bypassing Uttar Pradesh Power Corporation Limited (UPPCL) to buy electricity straight from generators, making use of open access provisions in the Indian Electricity Act 2003. Higher rail freight for coal, he added, was another factor. The tariff order said a further shift to open access was expected, making an increase necessary. UPPCL’s sales to the railways have fallen by 83.4 percent over the last two financial years.

Background

UPPCL had earlier reported a Rs 8,837 crore gap between its yearly revenue and its requirement and had sought an average increase of 25% from UPSERC. The hike comes before Navratri, Dussehra and Diwali in October. Tariffs were last revised in November 2017.

See also: Samajwadi Party | Bahujan Samaj Party

Originally published on 4 September 2019. Rewritten on 9 October 2026.

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