Minister assures to bring down power tariff

Chintalapudi (Eluru district): Energy Minister Gottipati Ravi Kumar and Information and Public Relations Minister Kolusu Parthasarathy inaugurated 132/32 KV sub-station at Dharmajigudem during their Eluru district tour. The new sub-station has been established to resolve long-standing low-voltage issues in Dharmajigudem and surrounding areas.

Speaking on the occasion, Minister Ravi Kumar said the sub-station would ensure quality and uninterrupted power supply to nearly one lakh farmers within its service area. He assured that even during peak hours, electricity would be supplied without breakdowns, significantly improving reliability for agriculture and domestic consumers.

The Minister stated that the coalition government is strengthening power infrastructure in line with the steadily increasing electricity demand. “We are upgrading systems and creating new facilities to meet present needs and future growth,” he said, adding that the government is committed to further reducing electricity charges in the coming days.

He revealed that efforts are underway to reduce the per-unit electricity cost by up to Rs 1.19 within three years. By increasing power generation through available resources and exercising control over power purchases, the government is working to make electricity more affordable and sustainable.

Criticising the previous YSRCP government, Minister Ravi Kumar alleged that power tariffs were increased nine times, imposing an additional burden of Rs 30,000 crore on the public. He said the electricity sector suffered severe setbacks due to what he described as “mismanagement and greed” during the earlier regime. “We are now implementing reforms and compensating for the losses incurred during that period,” he asserted.

Minister Ravi Kumar further said that by supplying low-cost electricity, the government is attracting industrial investments and boosting economic activity in the State.

He highlighted that central schemes such as PM Surya Ghar are helping households reduce their electricity bills, while the PM-KUSUM scheme is ensuring nine hours of uninterrupted daytime power supply to farmers.

Minister Kolusu Parthasarathy also expressed satisfaction over the completion of the sub-station and said it would play a key role in improving power stability in the region.

Officials, local representatives, and residents attended the programme and welcomed the initiative, stating that the new sub-station would significantly enhance agricultural productivity and overall development in the area.