New Delhi: The Chhattisgarh government has decided to give a special 24 percent rebate in energy charges to stand-alone steel rolling mills for a nine-month period, an official said on Wednesday.

The concession will be provided for the electricity consumed between July 1, 2022, to March 31, 2023.

The state government would bear the cost of rebate by making an advance payment to the Chhattisgarh State Power Distribution Company Limited (CSPDCL), the official said.

The objective was to help stand-alone rolling mills included in the HV-4 tariff category cope with competition following the implementation of a new power policy by the Chhattisgarh State Electricity Regulatory Commission, he added.

Constantly increasing coal prices and expensive electricity have affected the profitability of these mills and the rebate was aimed at protecting jobs, he said.

There are 175 rolling mills in Chhattisgarh including 125 in Raipur alone.

(With PTI inputs)

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