Srinagar: The Jammu and Kashmir government on Friday said it will strongly oppose the proposed 20% peak-hour surcharge on electricity, calling the move “unfair and ill-timed”.
NC leader and MLA Tanvir Sadiq, in a post on X, said that electricity is a necessity and not a luxury, adding that the administration will not allow additional financial burden on the people of Jammu and Kashmir.
The proposal by Kashmir Power Development Corporation Limited (KPDCL) to impose a 20% surcharge during peak hours has triggered criticism across the political spectrum. Apni Party, Peoples Conference and Peoples Democratic Party have all opposed the move.
PDP leader Waheed-ur-Rehman Parra also voiced concern on X, saying that the government must assess ground realities before increasing power charges. He said that while residents in affluent areas may not feel the impact, ordinary Kashmiris struggle every winter for basic survival.
“In Kashmir, electricity is not a luxury, it is life support. At a time when families are already struggling, raising tariffs on the poor and middle class will be cruel and catastrophic. Policies that ignore human suffering have no place in a just administration,” Parra said.
