The Centre has sidestepped a direct question from Chandigarh MP Manish Tewari about whether electricity bills increased after the privatisation of power distribution in the city. In a written reply to the Lok Sabha, the government did not provide the category-wise comparison of bills that Tewari had specifically requested.
What Manish Tewari Asked About Chandigarh Power Bills
Tewari filed an unstarred question seeking clear data on how privatisation affected consumers. He asked for details of average monthly bills for residential, commercial, and industrial consumers — both before and after the handover of power distribution.
According to The Tribune, the MP also requested information on smart-meter installation, any post-privatisation impact assessment, and complaints related to billing discrepancies and inflated charges.
Centre's Reply on Tariff Determination
In its response, the Ministry of Power said tariffs for Chandigarh are determined by the Joint Electricity Regulatory Commission (JERC). The ministry pointed to this regulatory process rather than providing the specific before-and-after bill comparison that Tewari had sought.
The reply did not address whether average consumer bills had actually increased following privatisation, which was the core of the MP's question.
"The Centre did not provide a category-wise comparison of electricity bills before and after privatisation of power distribution in Chandigarh." — The Tribune
MP Calls the Lok Sabha Reply Evasive
Tewari did not accept the ministry's response as satisfactory. He called the reply evasive, pointing out that the government had avoided giving the specific data he had asked for.
The MP's concern centres on whether privatisation has led to higher power bills for ordinary consumers in Chandigarh. Without the requested comparison data, he argues, it is impossible to assess the real impact of the privatisation on households and businesses.
Why This Matters for Chandigarh Consumers
This exchange highlights a growing concern about transparency in the privatisation process. When a government hands over a public utility to private operators, citizens expect clear accountability on how it affects their monthly expenses.
- The Centre's reply focused on the regulatory framework (JERC) rather than actual bill data
- Tewari's request for a pre- and post-privatisation comparison remains unanswered
- Questions about smart meters and billing complaints were also left without specific responses
Our Take: Transparency Is Not Optional
To put it plainly, when an elected MP asks a direct question about whether people are paying more for electricity, the government should answer it directly. Pointing to a regulatory commission is not the same as providing the data.
In our view, this evasive reply does a disservice to Chandigarh residents who deserve to know if privatisation has actually helped them or hurt their wallets. If the bills have not increased, the government should say so with numbers. If they have increased, the government should explain why.
The issue here is not just about electricity tariffs — it is about whether the government is willing to be held accountable for the outcomes of its policy decisions. Manish Tewari's persistence on this question is justified, and the Centre should provide the full comparison he has asked for.
