Srinagar, Aug. 24 -- Electricity consumers in Jammu and Kashmir are once again staring at heavier bills and darker evenings as the new tariff order takes effect from September. The average increase of 6.83 per cent may appear modest on paper, but for households already battling inflation and rising costs of essentials, it is another squeeze on fragile budgets. Commission itself admitted that without government subsidy the hike would have been close to 40 per cent, a "tariff shock." The subsidy softened the blow, but families are not spared higher bills.

For ordinary households, the revised slabs mean paying more for every unit consumed beyond the basic threshold. Even those with metered connections, who had hoped accurate billing would s...