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Punjab households get 300 units of free electricity from today: Key points
Households under the poverty line and freedom fighters will also get 300 free units a month; previously they only got 200 units free.
The guarantee of free electricity up to 300 units for Punjab households - made by the Aam Aadmi Party before the February-March elections it swept - began today. "This means that people will get zero amount bills," chief minister Bhagwant Mann said.
As per the new order, all bills before December 31 of last year will also be waived off. "Previous governments used to make promises during elections… five years would pass by the time promises were fulfilled but our government has set a new example," Mann said.
Here is all you need to know about the scheme:
> Each household will get 300 units of electricity free starting Friday - this will be supplied as 600 units over two months.
> Households that consume more than 600 units over two months only need to pay for the extra. For example, if a household consumes 650 units in two months then it only has to pay for 50 units of electricity, Mann said.
> Households under the poverty line and freedom fighters will also get 300 free units a month; previously they only got 200 units free.
> The scheme is expecte to cost the state ₹5,000 crore.
> The scheme is in line with promises made by AAP boss Arvind Kejriwal. However, he had not clarified if the free units were per month since Punjab has a two-month billing cycle.
> Punjab is now the second state after Delhi - also ruled by the AAP - to provide free electricity to people.
