JAMMU, Aug 23: Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Rohiin Chandan has strongly condemned the J&K National Conference (NC) government, led by Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, for its decision to increase electricity tariffs, effective from 1 September 2026. Terming the move “one more shocking gift” from the Chief Minister to the people of Jammu and Kashmir, Chandan described the hike as a shameful act that will impose an unbearable financial burden on common citizens through inflated monthly bills.
Issuing a press note, Chandan said the tariff revision is a direct betrayal of the assurances given to the people of the Union Territory. He recalled that in 2024 the public had been promised free electricity for the first 200 units. Instead of honoring that commitment, the NC government has chosen to raise tariffs, delivering a severe shock to households already struggling with rising costs of living.
“This is not a gift; this is a punishment,” Chandan stated. “The people of J&K were promised relief in the form of free 200 units of electricity. What they have received instead are higher rates, higher bills, and deeper hardship. This is a shameful act of misleading the public and breaking trust. The Omar Abdullah government has once again shown that its words and its deeds are two different things.”
Chandan accused the NC-led administration of systematically failing to keep its previous promises while continuing to harass ordinary citizens. He said the decision to revise tariffs from 1 September will hit domestic consumers the hardest, particularly middle-class and lower-income families who carefully manage monthly expenses. Inflated electricity bills, he warned, will force many households to cut back on other essential needs and will add to the economic distress already felt across the region.
He further charged the NC government with lacking transparency and accountability. He demanded that the administration explain why the earlier promise of free power for the first 200 units was abandoned and why the burden of higher tariffs is being shifted onto the common man rather than being addressed through better management of power distribution, reduction of losses, and improved efficiency.
Chandan called upon the people of J&K to recognize the pattern of unfulfilled assurances. He asserted that the National Conference government has prioritized political optics over genuine public welfare and that the latest tariff decision is only the latest example of this approach. He urged citizens to hold the government accountable for every broken commitment and every additional rupee they will now be forced to pay.