New Delhi: The latest chapter in the relentless tussling between Delhi’s Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government and the office of the Lieutenant General is over subsidised electricity to citizens.
Delhi power minister Atishi announced Friday that the government’s initiative to give power at lower rates to people – particularly to lawyers, farmers and the survivors of the 1984 riots – would stop with immediate effect because LG Vinai Kumar Saxena was “sitting” on a relevant file.
Talking to the media, Atishi said residents would start getting normal bills from Saturday because the government cannot release the money for subsidised electricity unless this file comes back from the LG’s office.
She said the file sought approval for the AAP Cabinet’s recent decision to extend the power subsidy to next year. The LG is yet to clear it, she said.
Atishi said those who get free electricity for the first 200 units and 50% off on the next 200 units would be affected.
#WATCH | From today, the subsidized electricity given to the people of Delhi will be stopped. This means from tomorrow, the subsidized bills will not be given. This subsidy is stopped because AAP govt has taken the decision to continue subsidy for the coming year, but that file… pic.twitter.com/lYZ3lJ0Od7
— ANI (@ANI) April 14, 2023
In a Cabinet meeting Tuesday, the ruling AAP government approved of extending the power scheme, though there were “efforts by the BJP and the Lieutenant Governor to stop it”, Atishi said.
Following this charge, the BJP accused her of lying about farmers getting free power supply, and claimed they received bills running into thousands due to fixed charges.
More than 48 lakh domestic consumers — out of over 58 lakh — have opted for subsidy as per official figures. The free electricity scheme was introduced by the Arvind Kejriwal government in 2019.
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