What’s your source of funds to give free power, BJP asks Ashok Gehlot

JAIPUR: Following the poll year announcement by Rajasthan’s Congress government to provide free electricity for up to 100 units and waive fuel surcharge for up to 200 units, opposition BJP on Thursday asked CM Ashok Gehlot explain the source of funds for repaying the over Rs 1 lakh crore debt of the three discoms.
State BJP’s chief spokesperson and MLA Ramlal Sharma said, “The CM should clarify how he plans to repay such an enormous loan. If not today, then tomorrow, this debt will inevitably be shouldered by the people of the state. Instead of making announcements, it would be more prudent for the CM to genuinely focus on advancing the state.”
Leader of opposition Rajendra Rathod said the Congress government, which collected an average fuel surcharge of 55 paise per unit from consumers for four-and-a-half years, is now engaging in the gimmick of waiving the surcharge up to 200 units. In contrast, the fuel surcharge during the previous BJP government averaged just 18 paise per unit, he said.
Rathore urged the government to prioritise repaying the loan. He said, “The CM should settle Rs 15,180 crore owed to power companies as subsidy to consumers. The discoms’ losses amount to Rs 1,20,000 crore, and to cover the subsidy expenditure, power companies are forced to borrow Rs 60,000 crore from banks annually, incurring Rs 6,500 crore interest each year.”
A BJP leader said the PM’s speech on Wednesday was so powerful that it compelled Gehlot to reaffirm his previous declaration. “During the budget session, he had committed to providing 100 units of complimentary electricity. If the government truly intended to offer relief, they would have already implemented it,” he said.