Up to the first week of April, more than 84 percent of Delhi’s 58.71 lakh eligible residential consumers chose to participate in the government’s electricity subsidy programme, according to reports from news agency PTI citing officials.
All clients who filed for subsidies under the programme since October will receive free electricity through March 31, 2024, according to a recent announcement by power minister Atishi.
The new electricity subsidy programme, which went into force on October 1st under the Delhi administration, would provide the subsidy to consumers who choose to take it. Last year, CM Arvind Kejriwal stated that only people who requested for power subsidies would receive them.
The Delhi government’s programme allows clients to receive up to 200 free monthly power units and a 50% subsidy for up to 400 units.
49.39 lakh of the 58.71 lakh domestic consumers submitted applications for the subsidy by April 6, according to an official document.
Of the 26.45 lakh customers, more over 93 percent (24.64 lakh) of BSES Rajdhani Power Limited have requested a subsidy under the free electricity programme. More than 79% of the 16.68 lakh customers of Tata Power Delhi Distribution Ltd have requested subsidies.
According to the document, 75 percent of BSES Yamuna Electricity Limited customers have requested subsidies under the programme.
The New Delhi Municipal Council’s consumers make up the smallest proportion of those who have requested subsidies. According to the data, 16,000 out of the 48,000 residents of Lutyens’ Delhi who are customers of the New Delhi Municipal Council, or 34%, have requested subsidies.
Domestic customers who use 200 units of power per month are not charged by the Delhi government. Individuals who consume 201 to 400 units receive a 50% subsidy, up to a maximum of 850.
The conflict over the city’s free electricity programme between the Delhi government and the lieutenant governor’s office meanwhile grew on March 27. The LG’s office denied CM Kejriwal’s accusation that it was planning to end the initiative as incorrect and misleading. The controversy started when Power Minister Atishi claimed on Friday that top power department officials were working with the lieutenant governor’s office to thwart the free power programme.
In response, Kejriwal tweeted, “A conspiracy is being hatched to shut down Delhi’s free electricity. But we will never let their conspiracy succeed.”
