In response to Delhi’s Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena’s release of a note proposing changes to the national capital’s power subsidy policy, the Delhi government stated on Monday that the subsidy will not be reduced and will remain in place for all residents of the city.
The government’s clarification came after the L-G’s office issued a note based on a recommendation from the Delhi Electricity Regulatory Commission, seeking changes to the national capital’s power subsidy policy.
The note issued by the L-G’s office last Friday stated, “Delhi Electricity Regulatory Commission (DERC) had in 2020 issued a ‘statutory advice’ to the Delhi government asking it to consider ‘restricting’ power subsidy to the ‘poor and needy’ consumers consuming 1-5 KW of power that would not only cover nearly 95% of the consumers but also save nearly Rs 316 crore per year.”
In a statement issued on Monday, AAP leader, who recently took oath as Delhi’s Power Minister, said the government has no plans to discontinue or change the basis of the subsidy for any consumer.
“CM Arvind Kejriwal is committed to providing 24×7 free electricity to the people of Delhi. Our power subsidy is not going to be altered. The L-G office is deliberately spreading misinformation regarding it,” she said.
On the DERC recommendation, Atishi said, “In a letter dated 06.01.2023, DERC had recalled its prior advice to Delhi government on curtailing power subsidy to consumers having connections of fixed load above 5kW or 3kW. After a detailed examination of various legal provisions of the Electricity Act 2003 and prior SC judgments, DERC had concluded that it has no legal basis or jurisdiction to advise the Delhi Govt about the withdrawal of subsidy for any category of consumers.”
She alleged that Prime Minister Narendra Modi wants to discontinue power subsidies in Delhi and it was under pressure from the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) that the L-G issued such a statement.
“In these days of inflation, the power subsidy has provided a huge relief to the common man in Delhi. The working and middle class of Delhi are grateful to CM Arvind Kejriwal for this relief. It is the Kejriwal Government’s commitment that the power subsidy will continue,” she said.
Atishi informed that the Delhi Electricity Regulatory Commission (DERC) had withdrawn its advice regarding the Power Subsidy in January 2023. The then Deputy CM and minister-in-charge of Power, Manish Sisodia, had written to the DERC chairman requesting it to re-examine the issue and give a fresh opinion on the matter since more than two years had elapsed since DERC’s last advice, she added.
