Cycle association decries move to hike power tariff

Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, May 22

A meeting of the United Cycle Parts and Manufacturers Association (UCPMA) office-bearers was held today in its office at Gill Chowk on the proposed hike in power tariff by the PSPCL.

The PSPCL is going to increase the rate of electricity soon. Inderjit Singh Navyug, president of UCPMA, said the bicycle industry was already going through a bad phase and the condition of economy was poor.

Navyug said in the last Assembly election, Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh had promised to provide electricity at the rate of Rs 5 per unit. But nothing has happened till date and the price of per unit has increased, said UCPMA members.

It seems that the government and PSPCL were least concerned about the present crisis of the industry. The president added that on the one hand, the government was claiming to provide power for Rs 5 per unit, and on the other, they imposed fixed charges and were collecting 18 per cent tax, added 2 per cent municipal tax and cow cess of 2 paisa per unit.

Rajeev Jain, general secretary, said since the Congress government had taken charge, till now unscheduled cuts were being imposed by the Electricity Department due to which the production was falling day by day.

Members of the association strongly protested any increase in the tariff from retrospective effect. Further, the government should stick to its words of providing power at Rs 5 per unit, they added.

Promise made in assembly elections

• Inderjit Singh Navyug, president of UCPMA, said in the last Assembly election, Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh had promised to provide electricity at the rate of Rs 5 per unit. But nothing has happened till date and the price of per unit has increased, said UCPMA members.