TRADE-OFF POSSIBLE
It is a tough situation for the government to provide the basic facilities to the people of J&K at the tariffs which are archaic and fixed during the yesteryears because things in today’s world have become exceedingly costly forcing the people at helm to go for hikes or curtail entities to maintain a balance. In this context, Shiv Sena J&K and Bari Brahmana Industries Association (BBIA) have resented the recent hike in power tariff in the Union Territory in a big way calling it anti-people stance of the government. Although, it is always difficult to cope up with such extra burdens for the common man with limited resources but the government also is in a fix as buying electricity at higher rates and selling the same to consumers at loss doesn’t makes any sense and for sure is not a feasible possibility and therefore the hike is genuine and justified. It is however possible that the government should give a second thought to the percentage of the hike in the electricity tariff because being a welfare state it has the responsibility to go for a trade-off and give at least some relief to the people who are already facing crisis due to pandemic corona as the same can be gauged from the fact that a large number of population is seeking the free ration provided by PM Modi soon after the COVID-19 was declared as a worldwide pandemic. On one hand the people are looking forward to get free ration from the centre and on the other the government in the UT has given nod to hefty increase in the power tariff both at domestic and industry level giving a big challenge to problem ridden residents of J&K. There is dire need that government should give some sort of succor to the people by way of revisiting the decision and reducing the percentage of hike both for domestic and industrial connections. As the inflation is already touching new heights with each passing day this decision of the government will break the backbone of the common man therefore the demand by the Shiv Sena and the BBIA needs to be considered and the only solution coming to fore is that government should go for a trade-off by curtailing the hike rate to some extent and giving a chance to people of J&K to breathe and live comfortably unless and until things with regard to livelihood and businesses become smoother and profitable.