Power Tariff Relief Raises Questions Over Long-Term Plan, Former Power Minister questions Rs. 362 crore revenue gap, smart-meter billing

By Our Correspondent

Agartala, August 22, 2026

The Tripura government’s decision to subsidise the entire increase in electricity tariffs has provided temporary relief to consumers, but has not addressed the underlying financial and structural issues confronting the power sector, former Power Minister Manik Dey said on Saturday.

Speaking at a press conference organised by the Electricity Consumers and Employees Welfare Society at the CPI(M) State headquarters here, Mr. Dey sought a clear timeline from the government on how long the relief would remain in force. He also questioned the fate of Rs. 362 crore that, according to him, remained outside the first tranche of the revenue-gap recovery approved by the electricity regulatory commission.

Power Minister Ratan Lal Nath had announced on Friday that the State government would bear 100% of the increased electricity tariff through subsidy. The subsidy, to be treated as effective from May, would be adjusted against electricity bills between September and November.

Mr. Dey described the announcement as a consequence of sustained public protests over rising electricity bills. However, he cautioned that the subsidy should not be treated as a permanent solution.

Questions over Rs. 479-crore revenue gap

Mr. Dey said the Tripura State crore before the regulatory commission while seeking approval to recover part of the revenue gap.

According to him, the commission permitted recovery of Rs. 479 crore, with Rs. 117 crore approved for the first phase. Since the government had now announced that it would bear the Ra. 117 crore burden, Mr. Dey asked what would happen to the remaining Rs. 362 crore.

“If the government describes the decision as 100% subsidy, it should clarify whether the entire amount approved for recovery has been covered,” he said.

He also urged the State government to consider filing a review petition against tariff-related orders where it believed consumer interests were adversely affected.

Tariff rise and additional charges

Mr. Dey disputed the State government’s comparison of electricity tariffs under successive administrations. He claimed that the average tariff, including various charges, had increased from Rs. 3.99 a unit before 2018 to Rs. 7.61 at present, representing an increase of about 90.70%.

He also questioned the introduction and increase of various charges, including duty and fixed charges. According to him, fixed charges for domestic consumers, which were considerably lower before 2018, had risen substantially.

The former Minister sought a public account of the electricity duty collected from consumers and its utilisation by the State government.

Smart meters under scrutiny

Smart meters were another major concern raised by Mr. Dey. He alleged that several consumers had complained of unusually high readings after the installation of new smart meters.

He said that during the previous Left Front government, around 50,000 smart meters had been installed in Agartala as part of a limited modernisation exercise. The electricity utility, he claimed, had retained responsibility for installation, maintenance and replacement.

The present arrangement, he alleged, involved private companies in the installation and maintenance of smart meters. The government should explain who would be responsible for replacing faulty meters and addressing consumer complaints, he said.

Mr. Dey said he was not opposed to technological modernisation but objected to its use if it resulted in an additional financial burden on consumers.

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