Latest news with #Rs1.15
Express Tribune
09-07-2025
- Business
- Express Tribune
Nepra cuts power tariff by Rs4.03 for Karachi consumers
Listen to article The National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (Nepra) has slashed power tariffs under the monthly fuel cost adjustment, offering relief to both K-Electric users in Karachi and consumers across the rest of the country served by government-run distribution companies (DISCOs). According to a notification issued on Wednesday, the electricity tariff for K-Electric consumers has been reduced by Rs4.03 per unit, while a reduction of Rs0.50 per unit has been approved for consumers in other parts of the country. The separate notifications clarify that the relief will be reflected in electricity bills for July 2025. Nepra stated that the reduction for K-Electric applies to the monthly adjustment for April 2025, whereas the decrease for DISCO consumers is based on the adjustment for May 2025. K-Electric had requested a reduction of Rs4.69 per unit for April, while the Central Power Purchasing Agency (CPPA) sought an increase of Rs0.10 per unit for May on behalf of the DISCOs. However, the regulator approved a lower adjustment, granting relief instead. Read More: NEPRA cuts basic power tariff by Rs1.15/unit This announcement follows Nepra's earlier decision last week to reduce the national base power tariff by Rs1.15 per unit. The proposal has been forwarded to the federal government for final approval and implementation and is aimed at providing relief to domestic consumers facing increasing utility costs. According to the revised tariff structure, the maximum rate for domestic consumers using 100 to 500 units per month will now stand at Rs47.69 per unit. Meanwhile, lifeline consumers using up to 50 units per month will continue to be charged Rs3.95 per unit. For those consuming between 51 and 100 units, the tariff has been fixed at Rs7.74 per unit. Protected domestic consumers using 1 to 100 units will be charged Rs10.54 per unit, while those using between 101 and 200 units will pay Rs13.01 per unit. For non-protected consumers, the rate has been set at Rs22.44 per unit for usage between 1 and 100 units, Rs28.91 for 101 to 200 units, and Rs33.10 for 201 to 300 units. Those consuming between 301 and 400 units will be charged Rs37.99 per unit, while consumption between 401 and 500 units will cost Rs40.20 per unit. The rate increases to Rs41.62 for usage between 501 and 600 units, Rs42.76 for 601 to 700 units, and reaches the maximum of Rs47.69 per unit for consumers using more than 700 units per month.
Time of India
05-07-2025
- Time of India
Cyber scam worth crores busted in Yavatmal; jobless youth duped via bank accounts
Yavatmal: A massive cyber fraud running into crores has surfaced in Pandharkawda taluka of Yavatmal district, where hundreds of unemployed rural youth were duped into handing over their bank account credentials under the pretext of getting jobs through the govt's Employment Guarantee Scheme (MREGS). Victims from villages like Chopan, Vasantnagar, Shivni, Wagholi, and Jarang were asked to open bank accounts and submit ATM cards, passwords, UPI IDs, and net banking access. These accounts were then used to route large-scale financial transactions across India—including from Gujarat, Delhi, Mumbai, and Andaman—raising suspicions of a nationwide cybercrime racket. The fraud came to light after former Pandharkawda municipal president Santosh Borale filed a complaint with Yavatmal SP, demanding a CBI probe. Several affected youths have also filed police complaints, naming local agents Mayur Chavan and Manohar Rathod as masterminds. Transactions ranging from Rs10 lakh to Rs1.15 crore were carried out through these accounts, exposing the account holders—many from daily wage families—to legal action. With their accounts frozen and tax notices expected, these unsuspecting youth now face criminal charges for crimes they claim they never committed. Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Benefits of Trading Bitcoin CFDs IC Markets Learn More Undo by Taboola by Taboola Allegations have also surfaced against Bank of Maharashtra's Pandharkawda branch for failing to flag suspicious transactions. "This appears to be a large network, not a local incident. It must be investigated at a national level," Borale said. Authorities have launched a preliminary probe, but no arrests have been made yet.
Business Recorder
04-07-2025
- Business
- Business Recorder
Beyond tariff cut: Millions more move to protected slabs
Nepra has approved a reduction of Rs1.15 per unit in the base tariff for all non-lifeline consumers. The cut implies a base tariff relief of 2 to 5 percent for non-protected consumers, and 8 to 10 percent for those in the protected category. Negative base tariff adjustments are uncommon, offering a rare break after an extended spell of steep increases. The reduction in base tariff is not the main story. What ultimately matters is the effective end-user tariff — where a mix of adjustments, surcharges, and taxes often carries more weight, particularly when the base tariff revision is modest, as is the case this time. Significant confusion persists around the continuation of the previously announced Rs7.4 per unit relief into FY26. The issue was raised during the tariff hearing, but the Ministry of Energy's response did little to resolve the uncertainty. The Ministry stated that the 'average applicable consumer tariff in July 2025 would be lower by around seven rupees as compared to July 2024' — a phrasing that, while seemingly affirmative, raises more questions than it answers, especially in the absence of clarity on the underlying assumptions and whether the relief refers to gross billing impact or base tariff trajectory alone. It is important to recall that much of the previous quarter's relief was temporary by design, intended to lapse by June 2025. The only component explicitly extended into FY26 was the Rs182 billion relief — equivalent to Rs1.7 per unit — financed through additional Petroleum Levy collections. In its communication with the IMF, the government had clearly stated that this limited subsidy for all non-lifeline consumers would remain in place only until June 30, 2026. Combining the Rs1.15 per unit base tariff reduction with the Rs1.7 per unit Petroleum Levy–financed subsidy brings the total relief for July 2025 to Rs2.8 per unit. However, the most significant contributor is the Fuel Charge Adjustment (FCA), which has dropped from Rs3.2 per unit in July 2024 to around 10 paisas — a major swing. Additionally, quarterly tariff adjustments (QTA) offer further relief of Rs2.5 per unit, as the current QTA is a negative Rs1.55 per unit, compared to a positive Rs0.93 per unit last July. It's worth recalling that effective electricity tariffs for all consumer slabs had peaked in July 2024. Despite the base tariff cut, effective tariffs are set to increase by Re1 per unit on a month-on-month basis — primarily due to the quarterly adjustment becoming less negative, narrowing from Rs3.45 to Rs1.55 per unit. With this periodic negative adjustment scheduled to lapse after July 2025, the year-on-year relief in effective tariffs will also diminish as FY26 progresses. The more fundamental shift is unfolding in consumption patterns. An estimated 3.5 million additional consumers are expected to move into the protected category in FY26 compared to FY25. Today, 60 percent of all domestic consumers fall under protected or lifeline slabs — up from 50 percent just three years ago. Their share in total domestic consumption has risen from 22 percent in FY22 to 32 percent now. In contrast, consumption in the unprotected category — primarily middle and lower-middle income households — has declined sharply. The 301–700 unit slab has seen a drop of 5 billion units over three years, with its share in domestic consumption falling from 26 to just 19 percent. Despite lower tariffs compared to last year, the shift appears structural. Erosion in purchasing power has pushed millions into protected categories, shielding them from steep tariffs — but at the cost of mounting pressure on those left behind to cross-subsidize. The shift also mirrors the acceleration of solar adoption. In many remote areas, the grid is becoming increasingly redundant. Solar uptake is now evident across commercial, agricultural, and industrial segments as well. Meanwhile, uncertainty around net metering policy continues. Without clarity, the burden will keep growing on mid-tier unprotected consumers still tied to the grid.
Express Tribune
02-07-2025
- Business
- Express Tribune
NEPRA cuts basic power tariff by Rs1.15/unit
The National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (Nepra) has decided to reduce power tariff by Rs1.15 per unit, offering a big relief to consumers, using 100 to 500 units per month, according to a notification sent to the government for final approval and implementation. Nepra has issued its decision to reduce the basic price of electricity for the entire country. As per the decision, the maximum tariff for domestic consumers will be Rs47.69 per unit. However, the tariff for domestic lifeline consumers, using up to 50 units per month has been maintained at Rs3.95 per unit. According to the Nepra notification, tariff for lifeline consumers, using 51 to 100 units per month, is Rs7.74. A rate of Rs10.54 per unit has been approved for protected domestic consumers using 1-100 units and Rs13.01 for protected domestic consumers, using 101-200 units. For the non-protected domestic consumers, Nepra fixed the tariff at Rs22.44 for 1-100 units per-month category; Rs28.91 for 101-200 units; Rs33.10 for 201-300 units; Rs37.99 for 301-400 units; Rs40.20 for 401-500 units; Rs41.62 for 501-600 units; Rs42.76 for 601-700 units and Rs47.69 for above 700 units. According to officials, Nepra has sent its recommendations to the federal government for the implementation of the new rates. After the approval of the Nepra recommendations, the government would announce the reduction of the power tariff, they added.
Express Tribune
01-07-2025
- Business
- Express Tribune
Govt rules out power surcharge
Listen to article The Power Division said on Tuesday that there was no plan to impose a surcharge on electricity bills to bear the cost of commercial loans taken from banks to retire circular debt. An official of the Power Division revealed this during a public hearing conducted to consider a motion of the division seeking tariff reduction of up to Rs1.15 per unit due to rebasing. The division informed the hearing that average national tariff would be slashed from Rs32.73 per unit to Rs31.59 per unit – a decline of Rs1.14. Officials said that base tariff for all consumers, except for lifeline consumers, would go down by Rs1.15 per unit. Tanveer Bari, representing the Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry, raised the issue of a new power surcharge on electricity bills. He argued that the government was going to give a relief of Rs1.15 per unit but at the same time it was preparing to slap a surcharge of Rs3.23 per unit due to loans taken from banks. He said that the surcharge could go up in case of lower electricity consumption. Bari protested over giving only one day to review the motion and other people also approached Nepra, asking it to give at least seven days in that regard. He pleaded the regulator not to approve the petition, adding that the government had claimed a big relief following deals with the independent power producers but in reality it was a very thin relief. He also criticised the increasing fixed charges for industries and demanded the removal of a cap on solar net metering to boost industrial activities. Another intervener Amir Sheikh questioned about the relief being given to consumers. Some interveners pointed out that the industry was enjoying a relief of Rs6 per unit till June 30 but industrial rates would go up by Rs5 per unit after the rebasing of tariffs. DISCOs slammed for overbilling Nepra officials said that power distribution companies (DISCOs) were denying tariff relief to protected consumers by manipulating the reading of electricity meters. DISCOs increase the consumption of units to take consumers out of the 200-unit protected category to send high bills, they said, adding that they had received several complaints and were probing the matter. Rehan Javed, an intervener, said that the actual determined tariff was not taken into consideration in relation to K-Electric's (KE) uniform tariff. It was feared that Karachi consumers would have to pay a surcharge if the actual KE tariff was not taken into account during rebasing. He asked about tariff structure and called for engaging industries or industrial associations in tariff rebasing. He argued that B3 meter consumers were bearing losses; therefore a separate tariff should be set for them. Javed emphasised that the sanctioned load for industries should be enhanced to help increase Pakistan's exports. He also called for rectifying the anomaly in peak consumption hours for industries, adding that a new tariff design should be framed. The intervener asked who was paying grid maintenance charges and proposed fixed charges for solar net metering. Industrialist Arif Bilwani argued that the Power Division had filed a petition in anticipation of cabinet's approval. However, Power Division officials said that the cabinet had already given the go-ahead for tariff rebasing. He also raised the issue of cold storages, which had been delayed due to the Power Division's failure to come up with comments. Nepra asked why the division had not given its comments and raised the legal question whether the regulator could give its decision without comments from the Power Division. Officials of the division said that they were working on seeking approval of the cabinet regarding cold storages. Senior citizen Tariq Abdul Majeed highlighted the higher tariffs being paid by consumers using more than 200 units in a month. Responding to that, the Power Division officials clarified that the government was giving a subsidy to people consuming up to 200 units.
