India News | Delhi Budget: Kejriwal Govt Sets Aside Rs 3,250 Cr for Free Power Scheme in FY23

New Delhi, Mar 26 (PTI) A little over 97 per cent of the total budgetary allocation of Rs 3,340 crore for the power sector for the 2022-23 fiscal has been earmarked for the free electricity scheme by the Delhi government led by Arvind Kejriwal.

According to the budget proposals of the Delhi government presented by Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia in the Assembly on Saturday, a sum of Rs 3,340 crore has been allocated for the power sector. Of this, Rs 3,250 crore or 97.30 per cent was earmarked for the free electricity scheme subsidy in 2022-23.

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Sisodia said that the “Zero Power Bill Scheme” for the consumers consuming up to 200 units of electricity has been very successful. It is a major contributor towards energy conservation, he said.

The government has also been giving a 100 per cent subsidy for the consumption of electricity up to 400 units to the victims of the 1984 riots. The Electricity Subsidy Scheme has also been extended to the lawyers' chambers within the court premises, he said.

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In the financial year 2021-22, Rs 3,090 crore was allocated by the government for the free electricity scheme. The total budget outlay for the power sector was Rs 3,227 crore in the budget 2021-22.

The Delhi consumers at present get a "zero power bill" for up to 200 units of electricity and a subsidy of Rs 800 for consuming 201 to 400 units of monthly electricity.

Lauding the budget in a press conference, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said the social security net of free education, healthcare, water, power and bus travel for women is a huge relief during back-breaking inflation, for the people of Delhi.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)