Himachal Pradesh to Levy Milk & Environment Cess on Electricity

Shimla, Sep 9 (PTI) Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu on Monday introduced The Himachal Pradesh Electricity (Duty) Amendment Bill 2024, seeking to levy milk cess and environment cess on consumption of electricity.

The milk cess is aimed at strengthening the milk producers and upliftment of farmers and environment cess for a clean environment to boost the tourism industry.

The milk cess would be 10 paise per unit for all consumers barring the zero billing consumers.

The environment cess would be 2 paise per unit for small industrial power consumption, 4 paise for medium industrial power consumption, 10 paise per unit for large industrial power consumption and commercial consumers, Rs 2 per unit for temporary connections and stone crushers and Rs 6 per unit on charging station.

Further, the bill empowers the government to enhance both the cess through notification subject to a maximum of 50 per cent at one time. The bill seeks to amend the Himachal Pradesh Electricity (Duty) Act, 2009 with Insertion of sections 3-A for levy of milk cess and 3-B for environment cess.