‘Conspiracy’ to stop power subsidy scheme, still Kejriwal accused of ‘fighting’: Delhi CM

PTI, Mar 25, 2023, 2:53 PM IST

Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Saturday asserted that his government would not let the ”conspiracy” to stop the power subsidy scheme in the national capital succeed and said he would defend like a rock the rights of the people of Delhi.

A day after Power Minister Atishi alleged in the Delhi Assembly that officials were trying to stop the power subsidy scheme at the behest of Lt Governor VK Saxena, Kejriwal warned him not to complain later about ”dignities” being breached.

Earlier this week, Saxena — in an apparent reference to his relationship with the AAP dispensation that has been aggressively attacking him over a range of issues — had said that the ”dignity of speech” was breached in recent times.

While alleging that there is a conspiracy to stop the power subsidy scheme introduced by his government in Delhi, Kejriwal tweeted in Hindi, ”Still, they say Kejriwal fights a lot.” ”Conspiracies are being hatched to stop (the) free electricity (scheme) in Delhi. But we will not allow their conspiracy to succeed. Kejriwal will be found standing like a rock for the rights of the people of Delhi. LG saheb, please do not say later that dignities are being breached,” Kejriwal said.

Amid allegations of officials obstructing the Delhi government’s electricity subsidy scheme at the behest of Saxena, Assembly Speaker Ram Niwas Goel on Friday referred the matter to the Standing Committee on Public Facilities. Speaking in the House on the issue, Atishi said, ”It seems that the chief secretary and officials are conspiring… to stop the power subsidy at the behest of L-G Saxena. A file in this regard was sent to the chief secretary with directions that it should be sent to the Cabinet within 15 days. ”Today, it is March 24 and the file is yet to come to me. Instead of sending the file to the chief minister, the file was sent to the chief secretary.” AAP MLAs also supported the issue, prompting Goel to send the matter to the standing committee.

Earlier this month, Saxena had asked Chief Secretary Naresh Kumar to direct the Power department to place the Delhi Electricity Regulatory Commission (DERC) advisory on the restriction of power subsidy before the council of ministers and take a decision within 15 days.

The instruction was made on the basis of DERC’s statutory advisory to the Delhi government to consider ”restricting” the subsidy to the ”poor and needy consumers”. Consumers with a power consumption of fewer than 200 units do not have to pay any charge. Those with consumption of 201-400 units get a 50-per cent subsidy, capped at Rs 850.