Opposition in Uttar Pradesh threaten stir over power tariff hike

Lucknow: Opposition parties on Thursday targeted the Uttar Pradesh government over hike in power tariff as protests were witnessed across the state.

Both Congress and Ajit Singh-led Rashtriya Lok Dal threatened to launch state-wide agitation against the government's move.

"Government should roll back the hike and provide relief to the people," Congress spokesman Amarnath Agarwal said in a statement.

He alleged that instead of resolving power crisis, which has become a burning issue, the government was concentrating on tariff hike which was "unfortunate".

"When the government has failed to provide power, hiking tariff in not logical," he said.

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Mr Agarwal said that in public interest the party has decided to launch a state-wide agitation between June 8 and June 11 against the hike.

The RLD staged demonstration in several cities, demanding Governor's intervention in rolling back tariff hike.

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Demonstration and 'dharna' were held at all district headquarters and memorandums addressed to the Governor were submitted through the district magistrate, RLD spokesman K K Tripathi said.

Addressing a gathering in Lucknow, RLD state president Munna Singh said tariff of rural, urban and private tubewells has been hiked by 40 per cent, 45 per cent and 35 per cent respectively.

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He alleged that the government has failed to ensure 24 hours power supply to 1.3 crore consumers and in rural areas only six to seven hours electricity was being supplied.

"If the government does not roll back tariff hike, the party will launch a state-wide agitation in a phased manner," he said.

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Power tariff in the state has been hiked by around 40 per cent.