In order to fulfil poll sops promised by the Aam Aadmi Party, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Tuesday summoned all the officers of Power and Finance departments to discuss ways and means to reduce the power tariff by 50 per cent.
On Monday, he directed Principal Secretaries of Power and Finance Departments in a Cabinet meeting to come out with a proposal to implement 50 per cent subsidy on power consumption up to 400 units and its financial implications on the financial health of the State Government.
Top sources told The Pioneer that a high-level meeting of Power and Finance departments has been scheduled for Wednesday to study the financial implications of this huge subsidy and to understand the functioning of the department.
Kejriwal had promised to reduce power tariff by 50 per cent during Delhi Assembly polls. There are 39.56 lakh domestic power consumers in Delhi out of which 33.50 lakh households consume electricity up to 400 units. This subsidy is expected to put an additional burden of Rs1,400 crore on the State exchequer.
At present, the Government gives a subsidy of Rs1.20 per unit up to 200 units. Now, the Government is planning to give subsidy of Rs2 per unit up to 200 units and between 201 and 400 units, the subsidy amount will be Rs2.95 per unit. In all, the Government will be giving a subsidy ofRs260 crore to power consumers across the city. Those, who consume 400 units and above, would not be benefitted from the scheme.
Officials say that power tariff is much lower in Delhi as compared to Ahmedabad, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Mumbai and Andhra Pradesh. For instance, power tariff in Ahmedabad is Rs3.90 per unit up to 200 units while it is Rs2.80 per unit in Delhi.
Similarly, the power tariff in Haryana is Rs4.50 per unit up to 200 units while it is Rs5.56 per unit up to 300 units in Mumbai. In Andhra Pradesh the power tariff is Rs3.25 per unit up to 100 units.