Shimla, May 13 -- The Himachal Pradesh government announced on Monday a subsidy of Rs.4.04 per unit for agricultural consumers. A spokesperson of the state government said that electricity will now be provided to farmers at a heavily subsidised rate of just Rs.1 per unit. The statement of government comes a day after leader of Opposition in Himachal assembly Jai Ram Thakur had lashed out at the Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu-led Congress government for what he said was a five-fold hike in electricity bills of connections taken by farmers for irrigation. In a statement the spokesperson said that electricity would be made available to farmers at the concessional rate of only Rs.1 per unit. To facilitate this, the state government would bear a subsidy of Rs.4.04 per unit, for which the official notification has also been issued. The spokesperson further informed that due to a slight delay in the issuance of the notification, some farmers may have received electricity bills at temporarily increased rates. However, the statement assured that any excess amount collected would be duly adjusted in upcoming bills, thereby providing relief to the farmers. The present state government places the highest priority on the welfare of farmersand was taking all necessary and effective steps in this direction, the spokesperson further added....