Baramulla (Jammu and Kashmir) [India], August 25 (ANI): Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Tuesday defended his government's recent electricity tariff hike and emphasised that the decision was taken out of compulsion.
The Chief Minister, who addressed a gathering after laying the foundation stone of Fruit and Vegetable Mandi at Wussan, Kunzer, in the Gulmarg Assembly constituency, said the government increased electricity tariffs out of compulsion and not willingly. He said the rates were revised after four years, while inflation had risen significantly during the same period.
He also slammed the opposition parties in the state. "The nature of the opposition is to oppose, and we have no objection to that... But they fail to recall their own past actions or what transpired during their own tenures...When you had the opportunity, when you held power, why didn't you establish a fruit market here? " he asked.
"The land was right there; we didn't have to acquire it, nor did we have to evict anyone for illegal encroachment...Now, if Farooq Shah Sahib comes and asks Javed Dar Sahib to arrange a fruit market for me in your Tangmarg, and its foundation stone is being laid today, then is Farooq Shah Sahib at fault, or those people who did nothing while representing this area?" he asked further.
Referring to power hikes during the previous governments, he said electricity tariffs had earlier been increased by around 15 per cent and by 13.5 per cent to 14 per cent during the tenure of former Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti.
He alleged that the People's Democratic Party (PDP) and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) had made the highest increase in electricity tariffs during their tenure, while their government had made only a minor increase.
He said the present government had passed a limited portion of the financial burden to consumers and assured people that he would make every effort that electricity tariffs are not increased further during his government. (ANI)
Omar Abdullah slams opposition parties, says power hike due to compulsion
