Shimla: Facing criticism from farmer unions over the recent spike in agricultural electricity bills, the Himachal Pradesh government has clarified that farmers will continue to receive electricity at a highly subsidised rate of ₹1 per unit. A government spokesperson confirmed that the state will provide a subsidy of ₹4.04 per unit to offset the actual cost of power, and the official notification to this effect has now been issued.
The clarification follows objections raised by farmer unions, who alleged that electricity tariffs for agricultural tubewell connections were increased arbitrarily. They have warned of protests and said that electricity board employees will not be allowed to take meter readings until the hike is rolled back.
According to the spokesperson, the confusion arose due to a brief delay in issuing the subsidy notification, which resulted in some farmers receiving bills at the full rate of ₹5.04 per unit. “The government is fully committed to ensuring electricity is available to farmers at an affordable rate. Any excess amount charged in recent bills will be adjusted in the next billing cycle,” the official said.
Farmer unions have expressed dissatisfaction with the state government, accusing it of breaking promises made before the elections. They said the Congress government had come to power by promising to protect farmers’ interests but has so far failed to deliver on those assurances.
“The hike is a betrayal of trust. Farmers, especially those in the plains, have already spent lakhs on borewells due to the failure to repair the canal system. Increasing electricity costs now will cripple them further,” a union representative said.
The unions are demanding that the government issue clear and timely communication to avoid such confusion in the future and take meaningful steps to restore the irrigation infrastructure. They have made it clear that unless the tariff hike is fully rolled back and farmers are assured of consistent support, protests will continue.
The government, meanwhile, reiterated its commitment to farmer welfare and said that effective measures are being taken to ensure power supply remains affordable for agricultural needs.
