No disparity in power charges for TN worship places: Senthilbalaji

CHENNAI: Electricity Minister V Senthilbalaji has clarified that all religious places of worship in the state are charged electricity tariff uniformly.

He was responding to a tweet by Former director of Infosys TV Mohandas Pai alleged that temples are charged Rs 8 per unit of electricity while the mosque and the church at Rs 2.85 per unit.

"A uniform tariff rate is being adopted to all the places of worship in Tamil Nadu irrespective of its category without any disparity. There is no tariff at the rate of Rs.8 per unit for places of worship as you alleged, " Senthilbalaji replied on Twitter.

Asking not to post misleading information on electricity tariff for various places of worship, he wrote that the Temple, Mosque and Church are being classified under public place of worship category without any discrimination. "The low tension service tariff rate for the places of public worship is Rs. 5.75 per unit. The Government of Tamil Nadu is giving a subsidy of Rs. 2.90 per unit for the first 120 units for two months. Hence, the net tariff payable is Rs. 2.85 per unit for the first 120 units for two months and after 120 units, Rs 5.75 is being billed uniformly, " he added.