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Delhi

AAP's top achievements: Smooth power supply, 50% slashed bill

AAP govt had announced 50% subsidy for people consuming up to 400 units

New Delhi: Smooth power supply with minimum load shedding and 50 per cent slashed power bill to consumers sans any power tariff hike in last four years are the biggest achievements of Arvind Kejriwal government, AAP government in Delhi claimed, just 15 days away from completing four years in office. "It is the biggest achievement of Delhi government not to hike power tariffs in the city for the four consecutive years and 50 percent getting subsidy till 400 units of power consumption," said Power department official from Delhi govt.

Last year, Delhi's peak power demand touched 7,000 MW mark. The earlier power demand was recorded 6,526 MW. Discoms had been told to avoid load-shedding in summer and if power cuts are absolutely inevitable, they should not be limited to slums rather all areas must take turns to face the disruption in power supply and that too should not exceed one hour at a time.

Discoms official said that some ares faced power outages due to some local fault as temporary power cut. Yet within 15 minutes, power supply are easily restored. After announcement by Delhi government, Power officer said penalty of Rs 50 per hour per consumer will be levied for the first two hours followed by Rs 100 for every subsequent hour.

"There is a major relief to lower middle-income as well as resettlement residents, who are consuming power below 400 units per month. In last two years, there has been no increase in power tariff in Delhi," said a senior officer from CM office. "The government issued the directions to DERC to implement the orders under the provisions of Section 108 of the Electricity Act 2003 which is binding on the regulator," said the officer from CM office.

Right after coming to power for its second stint, the AAP government announced a flat 50 percent subsidy for people consuming less than 400 units a month, and thereby benefitting most middle-income households across the city.

In 2014, the AAP government had ordered a Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) audit of all discoms –Tata Power Delhi Distribution Ltd, BSES Rajdhani Power Ltd and BSES Yamuna Power Ltd –on several grounds including that it has 49 per cent stakes in the power distribution companies. However, the Delhi high court later held that "there can be no other audit by CAG at the instance of the state government when regulatory body, Delhi Electric Regulatory Commission, is already there to audit the accounts of discoms."

The three private power distribution companies (discoms) in the capital inflated their dues to be recovered from consumers by almost Rs 8,000 crore, the comptroller and auditor general has said in its report on the discoms and claimed that there is scope for reducing tariffs in the city but before unveiling CAG report, Discoms brought a stay from Delhi high court. Delhi Government had appealed against the high court stay in the Supreme Court. Now the matters are sub-judice.

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