East Delhi MP Gautam Gambhir said claims of subsidy by the Delhi government are an eyewash as it comes from taxes paid by the people. “In the past eight years, people of Delhi have just been at the receiving end of propaganda and hogwash” the BJP leader said. Gambhir said that out of 58 lakh households consuming electricity in Delhi, only half (around 30 lakh) use less than 200 units – the limit till which power distribution companies do not charge them directly. Another 16 lakh avail subsidy up to Rs 800. Therefore, 11 lakh households in Delhi have to pay for electricity at Rs 10 per unit, he pointed out. The former cricketer said private electricity companies collect around Rs 20,000 crore every year. “Out of this, Rs 16,000 crore is paid directly by the people of Delhi against their bills. The remaining Rs 4,000 crore is paid by the Delhi government as subsidy. Money for this subsidy also comes from the taxes paid by the people. So where are the savings of the public exchequer because of the so-called 'honest' governance,” he asked. This amount of Rs 4,000 crore should be used to build infrastructure for the poor, redevelop slums, build roads, flyovers and hospitals, Gautam Gambhir said, adding that none of it was being done. At a press briefing on Saturday, Kejriwal defended his schemes – for free education, health services, transport facility for women in buses, electricity and water – saying they are not freebies but efforts towards laying the foundation to make India the number one country in the world. Kejriwal had said, “Delhi is the only city across the globe where every citizen gets free healthcare, where a population of over two crore gets free treatment. Delhi government pays all expenses of accident victims' treatment; we have saved over 13,000 lives under the Farishtey scheme." "Today, AAP’s governments supply free electricity to their people. We give 200 units free in Delhi and 300 units free in Punjab. The Opposition always asks why does Kejriwal give free electricity to the people. I want to ask these people, how much free electricity do your ministers get? Don’t you all get 4,000-5,000 units of free electricity? But if the poor get to sleep under a fan in peace for free, it becomes ‘Free Ki Revri’," he had said.
