Srinagar, Mar 23 In a strongly worded statement issued today, Advocate Javed Hubi, Senior Leader of the Awami Ittehad Party (AIP), called on the J&K Govt and the Central Government to provide an immediate 50% subsidy on domestic electricity bills starting March 2026.

The demand comes as the Union Territory grapples with a deepening energy crisis triggered by a significant shortage of domestic Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG), reportedly linked to ongoing supply chain disruptions in West Asia.
Advocate Hubi highlighted that the scarcity of cooking gas has forced thousands of households to switch entirely to electric induction cooktops and heaters. This shift has led to a massive, unintended spike in power consumption, pushing many poor and middle-class families into the highest billing slabs.
"The government’s failure to maintain a stable LPG supply is now being compounded by inflated electricity bills. It is a double-taxation of the common citizen’s misery," Hubi stated. "If the present govt cannot provide the basic necessity of cooking gas, it must, at the very least, cushion the blow by subsidizing the power used to replace it." An immediate reduction in monthly domestic electricity bills for all consumers from March 2026 until the LPG supply is fully restored.
A temporary suspension of the high-usage tariff slabs (above 400 units) to prevent families from being penalized for cooking with electricity.
Crackdown on Black Marketing: Directives to the district administrations to curb the illegal hoarding of LPG cylinders, which are reportedly being sold at exorbitant rates in the black market.
Political Challenge to the Administration
Hubi criticized the government for its "hollow assurances" regarding adequate stocks, noting that domestic bookings are currently being restricted to 45-day intervals while commercial supply has nearly ground to a halt. He warned that if the administration fails to provide financial relief through electricity bill subsidies by the end of the month, the AIP will mobilize a large-scale peaceful protest across the valley.
"We cannot watch silently as the people are forced to choose between buying expensive fuel or paying ballooning power bills. The government must act now to prevent a humanitarian and economic crisis in our kitchens," Hubi concluded.