Delhi govt extends power subsidy scheme for a year

New Delhi: The Delhi government has announced its crucial decision to continue to provide free electricity to the people of the national Capital.

In a Cabinet meeting held on Tuesday, the proposal to give a subsidy on electricity was approved unanimously under the leadership of Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal.

Celebrating the Cabinet’s decision, Kejriwal thanked the people of Delhi for their support and assured them that as long as he is there, they will face no problems.

All Cabinet ministers — Atishi, Saurabh Bharadwaj, Gopal Rai, Imran Hussain, Kailash Gahlot, and Raaj Kumar Anand, as well as the Chief Secretary and senior officers of concerned departments, were present during the meeting.

The people of Delhi will continue to get free electricity on monthly consumption of 200 units. Those using 201-400 units will get a 50 per cent subsidy.

Power minister Atishi held a press conference along with Cabinet minister Saurabh Bharadwaj after the Cabinet meeting.

They announced that the state government will continue to provide free electricity to the residents of Delhi, despite the attempts of the Central government to obstruct the continuation of the scheme.

She revealed that in the last couple of days, the Central government, under the pretext of the L-G office, has been working to stop the free electricity that is provided to the residents of Delhi. She said the government officers of the Power department have said that they have been called to the L-G office where senior leaders of the BJP were present, and they all threatened the officers to stop the free electricity that is provided to the people of Delhi.

She said she had pointed out during the Vidhan Sabha session as well, that through the media the Delhi government had found out that the L-G office had sent a file to the officers of the Power department on March 10.

She claimed that despite constantly asking for the file, on which some suggestions regarding the electricity subsidy scheme were given by the L-G, the Delhi government did not receive it. She added that this was intentionally done because the L-G office had hatched a conspiracy to end the electricity subsidy that is given to the residents of Delhi.

The free electricity scheme was introduced by the Kejriwal government in 2019.