Delhi Cabinet approves extension of 200 units of free electricity under power subsidy scheme

New Delhi [India], April 4 : The Delhi Cabinet on Tuesday unanimously approved the proposal to give a subsidy on electricity.
All Cabinet ministers, Atishi, Saurabh Bhardwaj, Gopal Rai, Imran Hussain, Kailash Gahlot and Raaj Kumar Anand as well as the chief secretary and senior officers of concerned departments were present during the meeting.
After the cabinet meeting, Delhi Power and PWD Minister Atishi held a press conference along with Cabinet Minister Saurabh Bhardwaj. They announced that the state government will continue to provide free electricity to the residents of Delhi.
Atishi said, "In the last couple of days the Central Government, under the pretext of the LG Office, has been trying hard to stop the free electricity that is provided to the residents of Delhi. Government officers of the Power Department have said that they have been called to the LG Office, where senior leaders of the BJP were present, and they all threatened the officers to stop the free electricity that is provided to the people of Delhi."
She said that she had pointed out during the Vidhan Sabha session as well, that through the media the Delhi Government had found out that the LG Office had sent a file to the officers of the Power Department on March 10.
"Despite constantly asking for the file, on which some suggestions regarding the electricity subsidy scheme were given by the LG, the Delhi Government did not receive this file. This was intentionally done, because the LG Office had hatched a conspiracy to end the electricity subsidy that is given to the residents of Delhi. Officially this file has still not been presented to the Delhi Government," Atishi alleged further.
The Power Minister said, "When the Cabinet note was to be readied like every year for the electricity subsidy scheme to be continued, the officers of the Power Department were forcefully called to the LG Office, where senior leaders of the BJP were also present and they all threatened the officers and got them to write a note on the files saying that the subsidy given to lawyers and farmers should be ended."
"Despite all these conspiracies we are happy to announce that the Kejriwal Government has kept its promise and in the coming year, just like in the previous years, the electricity subsidy scheme will be continued. It was a commitment of the Kejriwal Government to not only provide electricity for 24 hours but also provide it for free," she added.
Sharing further details, Atishi said, "There are four types of electricity subsidies that are given by the Delhi Government. The first is the subsidy to Agricultural Consumers -- To provide electricity subsidy on existing tariff at Rs 105/kW/Month on fixed charges to agricultural connections in Delhi. The second type of subsidy is Subsidy to Domestic Consumers -- To extend electricity subsidy, irrespective of the load, of entire bill amount comprising of fixed charges, energy charges, PPAC, all surcharges and electricity tax, utilising up to 200 units in a month, and to extend electricity subsidy of up to Rs.800/- per month, for the households utilising 201 units to 400 units per month."
"The third type is the Subsidy to 1984 Sikh Riots Victims -- To provide 100 per cent electricity subsidy up to 400 Units per month, irrespective of the load, of entire bill amount, comprising of fixed charges, energy charges, PPAC, all surcharges and electricity tax and waiving-off of all pending electricity bills of 1984 Sikh Riots Victims affected families living anywhere in Delhi, except Late Payment Surcharge (LPSC) which is to be waived-off by Distribution Companies (DISCOMS) at their level. In the case of bills above 400 units, the entire bill amount of 400 units will be subsidised, and the balance amount of above 400 units is to be paid by consumers."
"The fourth and final type is Subsidy to Lawyers chambers within the premises of the Court complex in NCT of Delhi. This program includes three different subsidy levels based on the chambers' monthly electricity consumption. For chambers consuming up to 200 units per month, the program provides a subsidy for the entire electricity bill amount, including fixed charges, energy charges, PPAC, all surcharges, and electricity tax. For chambers consuming between 201 and 400 units per month, the program offers a subsidy of up to Rs.800 per month, and subsidies their non-domestic tariff to a domestic tariff to make their effective electricity bill similar to a domestic consumer with the same monthly consumption. Finally, for chambers consuming over 400 units per month, the program subsidises their non-domestic tariff to a domestic tariff to make their effective electricity bill similar to a domestic consumer with the same monthly consumption," she informed.
In the press conference, Minister Saurabh Bhardwaj said, "Delhi Cabinet today also approved the continuation of the 'Chief Minister's Advocate Welfare Scheme'. Under the scheme, lawyers will get life insurance up to 10 lakhs and lawyers and their two dependent children will get medi-claim up to five lakhs. The group (term) insurance payments will be directed to the Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC), while payments for the medi-claim coverage will go to New India Assurance."
Notably, The Chief Minister Advocates' Welfare Scheme was introduced to provide social security to the practising advocates enrolled with the Bar Council of Delhi (and also on the Delhi voters' list) and their families. The scheme was first announced in December 2019 and has been providing group (life) insurance of Rs 10 lakhs per advocate and group Medi-claim coverage for the advocate, their spouse, and two dependent children up to the age of 25 years for a family floater sum insured of Rs five lakhs.
The scheme was initially applicable for one year, and the Delhi Cabinet has been further extending it since.