Atishi, the power minister of Delhi, has warned that nearly 46 lakh people of Delhi won't get electricity subsidy from Monday. She said the government had made provisions for the subsidy in the budget but Lieutenant Governor V K Saxena hasn't cleared the file. He said the people of the city will get inflated bills in the absence of the subsidy, from Monday.
She said she had sought a meeting with Saxena but didn't get a response for her request.
"The subsidy we give to 46 lakh people will stop from today. From Monday onwards, people will get inflated bills without subsidy," she said in a press conference here.
Atishi said the Delhi Cabinet had approved the extension of the power subsidy but the file is pending in Saxena's office.
"Till the file is approved we can't give subsidy. I even sought time from the LG office to discuss the matter but it's been more than 24 hours and I have not been given time. The file has also not come back yet," she alleged.
She claimed the budget for this was passed by the Delhi Assembly.
"The budget for this subsidy has been passed by the Vidhan Sabha. The government has money for subsidies but we cannot spend it," she alleged.
The government has been providing free electricity to those whose consumption is under 200 units. Those between 201-400 units get a 50 percent subsidy.
Last year, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal had said only those who subscribe would get the subsidy. 48 lakh people had subscribed for it. The government had earmarked Rs 3250 crore in budget for the subsidy.
With inputs from PTI
