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Monday, 23 October 2023 00:32 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}
The National Movement for Consumer Rights Protection President Ranjith Witanage has issued a fervent plea on behalf of electricity users, urging the Government to consider an extension of the current 40-day payment window for monthly electricity bills.
Additionally, they proposed the establishment of a structured system allowing users to pay their bills in manageable instalments.
Despite multiple revisions to electricity tariffs in recent times, Witanage emphasised that no corresponding adjustments were not made to extend the timeframe allocated to consumers for settling their electricity bills.
“The number of electricity users in Sri Lanka is 6.8 million. Electricity tariffs were revised twice this year and in 2022 an electricity user who utilised 180 units per month was charged an amount of Rs. 3,755 for the electricity bill. But an electricity user who uses 180 units of electricity currently has to pay around Rs. 10,500. That amount is a huge amount and the time given to a user to pay the electricity fee is only 40 days,” he explained.
Witanage pointed out that Sri Lanka’s household income has not grown as fast as expenditure has grown amidst the economic challenges.
“Red notices have been issued to 253,465 electricity users who have not paid their electricity bills in January 2022. Accordingly, the issuance of red notices has increased by 60%. This shows that electricity users in the country have difficulty in paying their electricity bills,” he said.
He pointed out that if the proposed measures were implemented, it could offer much-needed relief to a significant portion of the population, mitigating the financial strain associated with soaring electricity bills.
The National Movement for Consumer Rights Protection argues that an extended payment period and instalment options would provide consumers with greater flexibility in managing their household expenses.
