Local industrialists, businessmen and manufacturers have expressed concern over linking Rs 3 per unit reduction in industrial tariff with the fuel price adjustment (FPA) and rejected the support package for industrial consumers by the Ministry of Water and Power, saying the government added Rs 3.63 per kilowatt-hour surcharge then adjusting the announced Rs 3 per kilowatt-hour reduction in the industrial tariff with the fuel price adjustment.
President of Multan Chamber of Commerce & Industry (MCCI) Fareed Mughis A Sheikh said the industry was expecting January electricity bill at a cost of Rs 9 per unit after reduction of Rs 3 per unit but technocracy put the burden of various surcharges, which in any case should not be chargeable to the textile industry which is fully compliant in bills payment and also receiving electricity on zero loss basis.
Fareed said the revival of the closed capacity and turning the industry viable is only possible if the government matches the electricity tariff with the regional electricity rate of nine cents per unit. He said the textile industry is booking export orders of January onwards, based on Rs 9 per unit after the announcement of tariff cut by the Prime Minister.
The business leader appealed to the PM to direct the Power ministry to remove the notified surcharges imposed over and above the determination by the National Electric Power Regulatory Authority. He also said Ministry of Water and Power and Ministry of Finance have nullified the PM's announcement. "Especially, Finance Ministry is more interested in balancing the budget under the International Monetary Fund pressure than reducing cost of doing business and strengthen exports," he said.
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