Congress Gears Up For Rajasthan Polls, CM Gehlot Announces 100 Unit Free Power After Cooking Gas Relief

After Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot announced 100 units of free electricity for households, the BJP questioned the timing of the move claiming that the Chief Minister was impacted by PM Modi's address.

Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Wednesday announced that his government will wave off charges for the first 100 units of electricity for all households irrespective of their total consumption per month. The Chief Minister said that keeping the middle-class people in mind, those who consume electricity up to 200 units per month, the first 100 units will be free. Along with this, fixed charges, fuel surcharge, and all other charges for consumption up to 200 units will be waived, Ashok Gehlot informed.

"The first 100 units of electricity will be given free of cost to families who consume more than 100 units per month. That is, no matter how much the bill comes, they will not have to pay any electricity charge for the first 100 units," he tweeted, stating that he made the announcement based on feedback received during inflation relief camps in which registration for 10 schemes including the free electricity scheme is being done.

The Rajasthan chief Minister, in a tweet, said the bill of those who consume electricity up to 100 units per month will remain zero and they will not have to pay any bill like before.

"Keeping in mind middle-class people, consumers who consume electricity up to 200 units per month, the first 100 units of electricity will be free, along with fixed charges up to 200 units, fuel surcharge, and all other charges will be waived and will be paid by the state government," the tweet mentioned.

News agency PTI cited sources as stating that only electricity charges need to be given between 100 to 200 units.

The Rajasthan Chief Minister had in the budget earlier this year announced free electricity up to 100 units per month. 

This is the Congress's first major announcement since December when CM Gehlot promised huge subsidies on cooking gas and the prices were reduced by more than half to provide 12 cylinders a year at Rs  500 each.

The announcement comes as the ruling government is preparing for an assembly election in the state slated to be held later this year. Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge and former party president Rahul Gandhi met Gehlot and dissident Congress leader Sachin Pilot on Monday. 

 The party said they both had agreed to work unitedly. But in Tonk, Pilot signalled that he will continue to press his demands.

"I want to say it again that the issues that I had raised, particularly the corruption issue... vast corruption and loot in the previous BJP rule... action will have to be taken on them," he said, as quoted by PTI.

"As far as getting justice for the youth is concerned, I think there is no possibility of any compromise on it," Pilot said, referring to exams for government jobs being cancelled after paper leaks.

'After Looting Public For 4 And A Half Years...': BJP Questions Timing Of Gehlot's Announcement

Meanwhile, the BJP questioned the timing of CM Gehlot's announcement claiming that the Chief Minister was impacted by Prime Minister Narendra Modi's address and he was forced to announce relief late at night. 

"After looting the public for 4 and a half years, now as soon as the election year approaches, the public will not be fooled by your sudden announcement of waiving fuel surcharge and other charges in electricity bills. There is a flaw in both your policy and intention", Leader of Opposition in the Rajasthan Assembly, Rajendra Rathore said in a tweet.

"This is the limit, the Congress government, which collected an average of 55 paise per unit fuel surcharge from electricity consumers for 4 and a half years, is now doing a gimmick of waiving fuel surcharge up to 200 units. While the fuel surcharge in the previous BJP government was just 18 paise per unit on average. When the entrepreneurs are on strike due to the increase in fuel surcharge, then why are the industrial units not waiving the fuel surcharge?" he remarked.

The Leader of Opposition demanded that before the CM announcement comes into effect, the government pay the outstanding amount to the electricity companies against the subsidy given to the consumers.