New Delhi, Sep 14 (PTI) “We are thankful for the rebate on electricity bills that you (chief minister) have given so far,” reads the application form to avail benefits under the Delhi government’s free electricity scheme, which also states that the applicants will be “highly obliged” if the subsidy is continued further.
The pre-written application form gets generated after the residents of the national capital apply to avail power subsidy.
Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal announced on Wednesday that Delhiites can avail the benefits of the free electricity scheme from October only if they opt for it by giving a missed call on the phone number 7011311111.
After giving the missed call, the consumers will receive a message with a link and by clicking on it, they will get the form.
The form, which is in the Devanagari script, is an application addressed to the chief minister. The pre-written application form mentions that the applicant will be “highly obliged” if the subsidy is continued further.
“We are thankful for the rebate in electricity bills that you (chief minister) have given so far. I wish to continue availing the rebate on electricity. I would be highly obliged for that,” the form mentions.
The language of the application has drawn a sharp reaction from the public and resident welfare associations (RWAs).
Atul Goyal, president of the United Residents Joint Action (URJA), an umbrella body of RWAs, criticised the language in the form, saying the government wants people to beg.
“This language is not good. They want people to beg. This is a language of flattery. They are forcing people to thank them. As if they are doing some kind of a favour to people,” Goyal said.
Residents also questioned why the government wants them to thank it, saying it is “our taxes from which the AAP government is running its freebie campaigns”.
“The missed call to avail the benefits of the free electricity scheme of the AAP government is a slap on the tax-paying citizens of Delhi. The government is giving rise to a freebie culture which is not good for developing countries like India. Moreover, it is making us thank forcibly, it should be the other way round,” Avinash (38), a resident of Okhla, said.
Currently, the consumers with less than 200 units of power consumption do not have to pay any electricity charges. Those with a consumption of up to 400 units get a 50-per cent subsidy.
At his first offline press conference since the formation of the AAP government in Delhi in February 2020, after which the COVID-19 pandemic forced online briefings, Kejriwal had said many residents were willing to pay their electricity bills in full and wanted an option to give up the power subsidy.
The chief minister had, however, clarified that the free electricity scheme will continue for those who apply for it.
He had said both physical and electronic methods will be available for people to apply for the subsidy.
The government had decided a few months ago that the subsidy will be given to only those who will apply for it. PTI VA BUN RC
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