Arvind Kejriwal promises free electricity in Punjab for all; Really?

Arvind Kejriwal Press Conference: Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Tuesday promised free electricity for the people of Punjab with no distinction ahead of Assembly Elections 2022. However, he raked up a controversy with his promise of giving free electricity to only up to 300 units. On being asked about free electricity for above 300 units, Arvind Kejriwal said that the consumer will have to pay the whole bill. The free electricity in Punjab will only be given up to 300 units, he said. However, he dodged questions related to the farmers and free electricity to them. Also Read | Nirmala Sitharaman announces Credit Guarantee Scheme among other economic relief measures

Do You Know?

• Arvind Kejriwal does not even know if farmers enjoying free power facilities in Delhi or not. At first, he said that very there were very few farmers in Delhi and he thinks that they were getting free electricity. However, they are not getting free power, sources said.
• Kejriwal has given only Rs 6,500 crore relief to consumers in eight years. In Punjab, farmers alone get a relief of Rs 10,000 crore per year while other categories get around Rs 4,000 to Rs 5,000 cr relief.
• Relief of 300 units is conditional on the bill being less than 300 units or else the entire bill will be charged. This means the 200 units free power facility extended to SCs and OBCs by Badal Sahab will be officially scrapped if AAP returned to power in the State.

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Arvind Kejriwal's Press Conference Highlights

While addressing the press conference, Arvind Kejriwal said that "We'll do 3 major works here." "First, we'll provide 300 units of free electricity to every family in Punjab. Second, all pending domestic electricity bills will be waived off and connection of people will be restored," he said. "Third, 24 hours electricity will be provided," said Arvind Kejriwal. AAP national convener said that "When we fought polls for the first time in Delhi in 2013, people used to get absurd electricity bills. The govt was colluding with electricity companies, just like Punjab." "Today there's 24-hour electricity in Delhi at a very low rate. We've to do this in Punjab," he said. Earlier, he had said that the Chief Ministerial face of AAP for Punjab Assembly Elections 2022 would be from the Sikh community. -PTC News