Himachal Pradesh Assembly Passes Bill To Levy Cow, Environment Cess On Power Consumption

Under the Himachal Pradesh Electricity (Duty) Amendment Bill, 2024 which was introduced by CM Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu in the asssembly on Monday, domestic consumers will have to pay a cess of 10 paise per unit and industrial units will have to pay 2 paise per unit to Rs 6 per unit. Read on to know more provisions under the amendment bill.

Shimla (Himachal Pradesh):People of Himachal Pradesh are set to shell out higher power bills after the state assembly passed the Himachal Pradesh Electricity (Duty) Amendment Bill, 2024 envisaging milk and environment cess on power consumption in the state. The Sukhu government has stated that the bill will boost milk production and help in protecting the environment in the hill state amid objection by the opposition.

The Himachal Pradesh Electricity (Duty) Amendment Bill, 2024 was passed by the state asssembly on Tuesday through a voice vote. The milk cess is aimed at boosting the milk production while the environment cess to protect environment and boost tourism industry. The amendment bill empowers the government to further enhance the cess through a notification subject to 50 percent hike at a time.

Milk And Environment Cess Under New Bill

Under the Himachal Pradesh Electricity (Duty) Amendment Bill, 2024, milk cess would be 10 paise per unit for all consumers barring the zero billing consumers in the state.

As for the environment cess, it would be 2 paise per unit for small industrial power consumption, 4 paise for medium industrial power consumption, 10 paise per unit for large industrial power consumption and commercial consumers, Rs 2 per unit for temporary connections and stone crushers and Rs 6 per unit on charging station.

On Monday, Chief Minister Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu introduced the Himachal Pradesh Electricity (Duty) Amendment Bill 2024 amid uproar by the opposition which called the bill a burden on the consumers. The bill will hit domestic consumers as well as the industries in the state, the opposition said and demanded the withdrawal of the bill. Leader of the Opposition Jairam Thakur called the amendment bill a burden on the consumers at a time when the Congress government had hiked diesel prices by Rs 7 per litre and stopped the 125 free power units to the consumers.

The Sukhu government has said that the revenue collected from the cess under the amendment bill will be used to increase power generation, boost milk production and protect environment in the state.

Pertinently, the previous BJP government in Himachal had also imposed cow cess on liquor.