AAP slashes electricity tariff, announces free water

In a repeat of their decisions when they were in power for 49 days in 2014, the AAP-led Delhi government has reduced electricity rates by 50 per cent for upto 400 units consumption, On Wednesday. Consumers going above 400 units will have to pay the whole bill.

The government put out a figure that 36,46,428 families would benefit from reduced bills. And if the subsidy continues for a year, it will cost cash-strapped AAP government Rs1700 crore, official sources say.

Kejriwal had visited the CAG office earlier in the day, to discuss the state of the audit on discoms in the city. It is learnt that the CAG assured him of the assistance required in fast completion of audit. The party has long claimed that the results of the audit will reveal irregularities in the discoms, once it is sorted the cost of electricity will be show a decline, removing the need for subsidies.

For water, the government once again promised 20kilolitres of free water, per household, every month. Sisodia told the media that 18lakh families would reap the benefit of this move. Unlike their last government, this time Kejriwal has included group housing societies in the free water plan.

The government has announced a total subsidy of Rs20 crore for this financial year for this measure.