Jammu, Jan 2: Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Friday asserted that there was no general increase in electricity tariffs across Jammu and Kashmir for the year 2025-26.
While maintaining that his government, given its commitment to prioritise people’s welfare, was keeping electricity affordable for all, he also stated that the Time of Day (ToD) tariff rates also remained unchanged, providing relief to households.
The Chief Minister, who is also holding the charge of Power Development Department (PDD), shared this clarification through a post on his official ‘X’ handle.
“Government continues to prioritise people’s welfare by keeping electricity affordable. For 2025-26, there is no general increase in electricity tariffs across J&K and the Time of Day (ToD) tariff remains unchanged,” the Office of the Chief Minister, J&K, posted.
“Additionally, 50,498 consumers have availed the Amnesty Scheme for FY 2025-26 so far,” the Chief Minister stated, in another post.
Chief Minister made these remarks a day after the Peoples Conference supremo and the MLA Handwara, Sajad Lone, in a press conference in Handwara on January 1, accused the National Conference-led government of hiking power tariff besides having failed in fulfilling its poll-promises, including the one related to free 200 units of electricity.
“The year 2025 was nothing but a joke. The government’s promises of 200 free units of electricity, 12 gas cylinders, Rs 5000 for unemployed youth and one lakh government have proved to be a hoax. Has it (200 free units of electricity) been delivered in any area? Instead, the government has effected a hike in tariff. The people in the non-metered areas are getting bills reflecting a 50 percent hike in tariffs, instead of getting any relief as promised by them (NC) in the manifesto,” Lone alleged.
However, in response, the National Conference, in its official statement, had lauded the Chief Minister Omar Abdullah-led government for putting the ToD power tariff on hold for domestic consumers, reflecting its unwavering commitment to public welfare and responsive governance.
“It is a timely and much-needed relief for households across Jammu and Kashmir, particularly during the harsh winter months when electricity is an essential necessity,” the party spokesperson maintained, adding that the matter was “taken up with the Central Government in order to seek long-term solutions for addressing power-related challenges faced by domestic consumers in the region.”
In August 2025, the J&K government had extended the Power Development Department’s “amnesty scheme for domestic consumers -2022” till March 2026.
Extension, however, had come with a clarification that 100 percent waiver of interest and surcharge was allowed in respect of outstanding amounts as on March 31, 2025.
Besides, the Department had reiterated its caveat that there would be no further extension of the amnesty.
Amnesty was extended in compliance with the decision of the Council of Ministers taken on July 29, 2025, in furtherance of an announcement made by the Chief Minister Omar Abdullah during the budget session in March 2025.