In a decision ahead of this year’s Assembly election, the power bill charges for the first 100 units for all domestic consumers, irrespective of the total consumption in a month, were waived in Rajasthan on Thursday. The announcement for free electricity up to 100 units was made in the 2023-24 State Budget.
Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot said here that the decision would remove an anomaly on the ceiling for electricity consumption set earlier. “The first 100 units of electricity will be given free of cost to the households which consume more than 100 units per month. No matter how much the bill comes, they will not be required to pay for the first 100 units,” he said.
Along with this, the fixed charges on electricity connections and fuel surcharge and all other charges for power consumption up to 200 units will also be waived. Mr. Gehlot said those consuming electricity up to 100 units per month would not be required pay any bill like before, while those consuming power up to 200 units would only pay electricity charges over and above 100 units.
Mr. Gehlot said he had come to know of “practical difficulties” being faced by power consumers because of slab-wise exemption in the feedback received during the ongoing inflation relief camps across the State. The State residents are being registered for 10 schemes, including the free electricity scheme, in the camps.
The Congress government had announced free electricity up to 50 units for domestic consumers last year, which was enhanced to 100 units in this year’s budget. Thursday’s decision is expected to benefit more than 1.10 households in the State having domestic power connections.
The Aam Aadmi Party governments in Delhi and Punjab, which have converted free electricity into a major poll plank, were constantly attacking the ruling Congress in Rajasthan on the issue. Mr. Gehlot seems to have replied to them through his “power punch”, while keeping an eye on the upcoming Assembly polls.
The Opposition Bharatiya Janata Party said Mr. Gehlot had been making such announcements in the past without actually fulfilling them. BJP MLA and party spokesperson Ramlal Sharma said the three public sector power distribution companies in the State were under a heavy debt and the Congress government’s latest move would only add to their burden.
