Acchhe Din for Delhiites: Cheaper electricity, free water

New Delhi: Eleven days after assuming power in Delhi, the AAP government delivered on two key poll promises on Wednesday — a 50 per cent subsidy on electricity tariffs for consumers using up to 400 units and free water to households consuming upto 20,000 litres a month. The decision is expected to benefit around 90 per cent of city residents and will cost the exchequer Rs 1,700 crore. The government said this amount will be allocated in the budget for this fiscal year.

Soon after the subsidies were announced, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal tweeted that his government has fulfilled what it promised, and will also bring other poll promises made by the AAP to the city. “Jo kaha, so kiya. Bijli half rate par aur paani muft kiya. Baaki wade bhi pure karenge. Bas aap apna saath banaye rakhiyega (Have done whatever we had promised. Power tariff halved and free water will be provided. Other promises will be realized soon. You should just continue supporting us),” the CM tweeted. The power subsidy will give relief to households falling in two slabs — 0-200 units and 201-400 units. But if the monthly consumption exceeds 400 units, the full amount will be charged. The revised rates will come into effect from March 1, Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia announced after a meeting of the Delhi Cabinet.

Power regulator Delhi Electricity Regulatory Commission said that after the subsidy, the consumers in the 0-200 units bracket will have to pay Rs 2 per unit, for which they are currently shelling out Rs 4 per unit and those in 201-400 slab will have to pay Rs 2.975 per unit, for which the present rates are Rs 5.95 per unit. “The subsidy will be provided only on the usage charges. The miscellaneous charges including the taxes will remain unchanged,” P.D. Sudhakar, DERC chief said.

Even as the BJP slammed the Delhi Government’s move terming it as a “sham” and said that the subsidy should be extended to all the power and water consumers of the national Capital, the AAP government emphasised that the subsidy will provide reprieve to a major chunk of the city’s population. “The cut in power tariff will benefit 36,06,428 families, which is around 90 per cent of the city’s population,” Mr Sisodia said, adding that those consuming over 400 units would have to pay the full bill. He urged the people to consume less power.