Jammu & Kashmir News : ‘High Voltage Bills, Low Income Chills!’: Protesters Demand Rollback of 6.83% Hike, PDP Protests Power Tariff Hike in Budgam

Mushtaq Pulwama state chief

Budgam, Aug 27 : The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Thursday staged a protest in Budgam against the 6.83 per cent increase in electricity tariffs, with party workers led by MLA Aga Muntazir Mehdi raising slogans against the hike and demanding its rollback. The protesters carried placards highlighting the impact of rising electricity bills on ordinary families, with messages including “High Voltage Bills, Low Income Chills!”, “Lighting Homes Shouldn’t Cost a Fortune!”, “Power Should Empower, Not Devour Us” and “Save the Families”. The PDP said the tariff increase would place an additional financial burden on households at a time when many families are already struggling with rising living costs. Aga Muntazir Mehdi and the protesting workers demanded that the authorities reconsider the decision and provide relief to consumers.

The protest remained peaceful, with the participants using slogans and placards to voice opposition to the revised tariff. The revised electricity tariff, approved by the Joint Electricity Regulatory Commission (JERC), is scheduled to come into effect from September 1. The PDP has maintained that the increase will disproportionately affect ordinary consumers and called for measures that protect households from a further rise in their monthly electricity bills.