Each electricity unit has become costlier by Rs1.30 as the federal government started charging two recently introduced taxes in fresh bills, transferring a cumulative burden of around Rs117 billion to consumers this year.
The November bills include the Universal Obligation Fund at the rate of Re1 per unit for those falling between 301 and 700 units and 50 paisa for consumers over 700 units.
Similarly, a debt servicing surcharge of 30 paisa per unit has also been included in the bills. Both the surcharges are over and above 30 paisa per unit monthly fuel adjustment charges for August and another 51 paisa per unit for September.
Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif had withdrawn the September fuel charges, but they are still part of November bills.
“The sector sells around 90 billion units every year,” explains a former head of the Central Power Purchase Agency. By raising tax on each unit by Rs1.30, the government has transferred a stupendously huge additional burden of Rs117 billion to consumers.
