Team Goemkarponn
PANAJI: The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has strongly criticised the BJP government in Goa for introducing a new electricity tariff structure, alleging it is designed to “loot Goans” rather than serve them. The criticism comes after the Joint Electricity Regulatory Commission (JERC) approved a 4% annual hike in power tariffs for the next five years, effective from October 1.
AAP National Spokesperson Valmiki Naik termed the new tariff system as “anti-people, illogical and a cruel joke.” He highlighted that the three-slab system divides electricity consumption into different time slots — 9 am to 5 pm, 5 pm to 1 am, and 1 am to 9 am — with peak-hour charges between 5 pm and 1 am attracting an additional 20% charge.
“Evenings are when families cook, children study, and small businesses operate. Instead of supporting people, the BJP is penalising them with higher rates. Electricity, water and roads are basic needs, not profit-making ventures,” Naik said.
He pointed out that household electricity bills in Goa have nearly doubled over the last three years despite similar consumption levels. “A family that earlier paid ₹700 is now paying ₹1,300 for the same usage. This is nothing less than daylight robbery,” Naik alleged.
Naik also criticised JERC’s decision to stop holding public hearings until 2029-30, saying Goans have been denied both their “money and voice.”
Recalling AAP’s earlier campaign, he noted that in 2020 the party had launched a state-wide agitation against rising electricity costs, reaching out to over 300 villages and demanding 200 units of free electricity every month, on the lines of Delhi. That movement culminated in a nationally televised debate between Delhi Power Minister Satyendar Jain and Goa’s then Power Minister Nilesh Cabral, which exposed the contrast between Delhi’s affordable electricity model and Goa’s rising tariffs.
Naik said the BJP government was forced to counter the criticism by announcing a “free water scheme,” which was later scrapped, with Chief Minister Pramod Sawant controversially blaming Goans for “misusing water.”
“The BJP’s priority is not public service but profit. Every year, government revenue from electricity rises, proving that BJP is looting Goans to serve its corporate masters,” Naik charged.
