Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Thursday, 5 May, announced that the government will provide subsidised electricity only to those who ask for it, and that the residents of the national capital will be able to choose whether to opt for the subsidy.
"From October 1, subsidy on electricity will only be given to those in Delhi who ask for subsidised electricity," he said at a press conference.
Why Has This Decision Been Taken?
Announcing the new policy on Thursday, Chief Minister Kejriwal said that the electricity subsidy scheme has been revised after various citizens reached out to the government and asserted that subsidy should be provided only to those who need it.
"Many people have written to me saying that they are capable so they do not want free electricity. They say it is a good policy, but we do not want your subsidy. You use this money to build hospitals and schools. So now we have decided to make it optional," he stated.
What Does It Mean?
In August 2019, the Arvind Kejriwal-led Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government had made electricity free for those who consume up to 200 units of power and announced a 50 percent subsidy capped at Rs 800 per month for those consuming up to 400 units of power a month.
As per the new decision announced on Thursday, the benefits of the aforementioned scheme will be provided only to those who opt to avail it.
"We will people now. If someone says they want subsidy, we will give to them. If they say we don't want subsidy, then we won't give it to them. The process of asking people will begin soon," Kejriwal said.
This means that from 1 October, Delhi residents who choose to avail the government's subsidy will received no electricity bill if they consume less than 200 units of power a month, and will get a 50 percent subsidy up to Rs 800 on their bill if they consume 201-400 units of power.
Residents who opt out of the scheme will be charged the full amount for their power consumption as per their usage from October.
Meanwhile, the Delhi Jal Board on Thursday announced free sewer connections for 25,000 households in the city's Karawal Nagar and Mustafabad, saying it will install 30 reverse-osmosis plants in the informal settlement clusters to provide clean drinking water.
(At The Quint, we question everything. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member today.)