Shimla, May 15 (PTI) The Himachal Pradesh government has expanded the classification of electricity consumers to impose a cess of Re 1 per unit on commercial entities such as private hospitals, nursing homes, shopping malls, and coaching institutes.
The government has brought ten categories of electricity consumers under the ambit of the Himachal Pradesh Electricity (Duty) Act, 2009. The legislation authorises the government to levy a cess on energy consumption on certain categories of consumers.
As many as ten categories of private power consumers have been added under the Electricity Duty Act for the levy of a cess of Re 1 per unit. These consumers included business establishments, private hospitals, nursing homes, shopping malls, private research institutions, coaching institutes, shopping malls and multiplexes, an official said on Friday.
"These categories have been brought under the ambit of the cess in public interest with immediate effect in exercise of the powers conferred under Section 3-B of the Himachal Pradesh Electricity (Duty) Act, 2009," a notification issued here said.
According to a recent notification from the power department, the move aims to generate additional revenue for the cash-strapped state government.