Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal offers rebate on power dues to poor on Labour Day

NEW DELHI: This Labour Day, Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal went all out to reward the vote bank which catapulted his party to a historic victory. The CM did not simply stop at measures to empower the labourers but chose to touch a familiar chord—power bills.

After giving a power subsidy to consumers, the capital is now planning a rebate scheme on old bills. There is also respite promised from pending cases linked to power. The rebate scheme will, however, be only for the poor and the cases in question would be those in which it is felt that the consumer has been put through unnecessary harassment by discoms.

The announcement came at a Labour Day meeting organized at Shalimar Bagh. In attendance was a crowd of labourers and residents of the surrounding slums. The CM began by asking the crowd if their electricity bills had gone down. As people raised hands, he reminded them how the AAP government was committed to fulfill the promises in its manifesto and that it was the poor of the city who showed confidence in him and his party and voted them to power. He went on to cite the 50% subsidy per unit of power for those who consume no more than 400 units per month.

"There is no dearth of money in government. It is the intention that is important. Now we are going to bring a rebate scheme to give relief to consumers on old bills and some measures to give them respite from pending cases that have no relevance and are nothing but a source of harassment for the poor consumers," the CM said. "Electricity companies have started a new business; their employees ask for a bribe and, if they are refused, they tamper with the bill and make fake cases against them. I have received many such complaints and during initial check we found 80 per cent cases were fake."

Kejriwal announced that his government is coming up with a scheme to give a major rebate on pending electricity bills in another 10 days. All the pending cases will be closed, he said.

"We are scanning the records of poor people which will be soon rationalized. Cases against them will be closed," he said. He further assured 24x7 power supply this summer saying his government was ready with a plan. In view of summer, the CM also pointed that water will be an area of focus. Wherever there is a problem tankers will be provided.

A crackdown had been launched on ration shops where beneficiaries are being deprived their share of supplies, he said.