State claim of cheapest power tariff among metropolitan cities busted.
After the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the Resident Welfare Associations (RWAs) in the city are alleging that the state is misleading the public with government advertisements.
The advertisements issued by the state on Sunday pats the back of the government for having the cheapest power tariff among all metropolitan cities.
The RWAs claim that the advertisements published are giving wrong statistics. The RWAs have written to the Lieutenant-Governor and the Lokayukta addressing their concern.
The advertisement claims that while power tariff in Kolkata is Rs6.14 per unit, in Mumbai Rs4.70 and in Bengaluru Rs4.55 per unit, Delhi power tariff is Rs2.70 per unit. The advertisement also talks about benefitting 43 lakh people via its Rs900 crore annual power subsidy.
The RWAs, however, allege that the Rs2.70 per unit is a false figure. “The actual cost per unit is Rs3.90. The annual subsidy of Rs900 crore that the government is giving to the discoms is actually our money, said Rajiv Kakria, the RWA president of Greater Kailash I.
The state government also claims that the per capita consumption of power in Delhi is highest than any other city.
However, data by the Power Finance Corporation of India reveals that Delhi is eighth in terms of per capita consumption of power. In terms of average billing rate, Delhi is at number 17, while Goa has the lowest average billing rate and Punjab the highest.
“All this subsidy gimmick is a part of the votebank politics of the government. The government just wants to keep its voters happy at this point of time and has gone ahead with the subsidy and advertisements, said BS Vohra of East Delhi Resident Welfare Association.
The associations feel that the Rs900 crore subsidy could have been used instead for creating health services, schools and drainage system.
with thanks : DNA : Daily News & Analysis :
LINK
