Delhi Govt receives nearly 6 lakh applications for electricity subsidy scheme in first three days

From October 1, the automatic subsidy on electricity consumed up to 200 and 400 units will end and only those who opt for the subsidy by end of September will be able to continue getting it.

The Government data shows between September 14 to 16, 592996 consumers opted for the electricity subsidy from October 1. The three Discoms and the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) produced received the application and it will give the subsidy accordingly.

Amongst the three Discoms, BRPL received the most number of applications at 251562, BYPL 168894, and TPDDL got 170271 applications in the first three days of launching the opt-in process. The NDMC, which has Lutyens Zone under its jurisdiction, received 2269 applications.

Following criticism of the electricity subsidy, from especially the BJP, the AAP government a few months ago announced that it has decided to end the electricity subsidy scheme and it will come up with an opt-in scheme where consumers will have to ask for the subsidy and those who don’t ask for it, will not get it.

Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal had recently launched the application process and announced a helpline number — 7011311111 — through which consumers could apply to continue availing of the power subsidy.

Currently, people get a 100 per cent subsidy for consuming less than 200 units and a 50 per cent subsidy up to Rs 800 for consuming up to 400 units. The Delhi Government has now made it mandatory for people to opt-in for the subsidy to continue getting the benefits.

Delhi has 58 lakh electricity consumers in Delhi, of which 47 lakh get the subsidy, 30 lakh get zero bills and around 16-17 lakh of them get half the bill.

The government is also planning to launch a comprehensive campaign to raise awareness about the scheme. Camps and door-to-door campaigns will also be organised.