Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Friday claimed that with a view to hike electricity and water rates, a conspiracy is being hatched to transfer the power and water departments to the municipal corporations if the Bharatiya Janta Party (BJP) or the Congress comes to power in the civic bodies.
“This was being done to increase the rates of electricity and water in Delhi,” he said while addressing a public meeting in Burari area of north Delhi.
“A senior BJP leader told me that if Congress or BJP comes to power in municipal corporations, then the power and water departments of the Delhi Government will be transferred to the corporations as was before 1998,” he said.
Kejriwal appealed to the people to give the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) a 2015 Delhi Assembly election-like mandate in the civic polls too, so that the rates of electricity and water are not increased.
Kejriwal said he had announced that if voted to power, his party will reduce the rates of power and water and we did that. “We have not only reduced power tariff to half but have ensure no hike during the tenure by the discoms. We have given 20,000 litres free water every month to nearly 12.5 lakh households and have waived off arrears besides reducing installation charges. Even after the freebie, the Delhi Jal Borad has recorded profit of whopping `172 crore,” he added.
“We will waive house tax if we come to power in the three municipal corporations,” Kejriwal asserted.
Also, the CM reminded the people he will write off the house tax as BJP ruled corporations have waived house tax for Union Minister Vijay Goel’s Haveli in Chandni Chowk.
The CM said, “We have achieved unprecedented results in the education sector. We have completely stopped private schools from raising fee without the Government’s go ahead, forced the school authorities to return earlier hiked fees. We have ensured world class facility in Government schools and have made thousands of rooms in schools.
“We have ushered a revolution in health sector by ensuring medical facility to the lowest section. With the setting up hundreds of mohalla clinics, poly clinics and other health centers, the Government has ensured free medical treatment for all. We have also reduced the waiting period in Government hospitals and have decided to bear costs of private hospitals in emergency,” he said.
Kejriwal kicked off his party’s campaign from Burari to win three municipal corporations from BJP. Kejriwal had launched his first ever political campaign from Burari during 2013 Assembly polls.