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Spar over sops: Kejriwal dares BJP over ‘five times more subsidy’ promise
New Delhi: Chief minister Arvind Kejriwal Wednesday dared the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to deliver its promise of giving five times more subsidy in water and
New Delhi: Chief minister Arvind Kejriwal Wednesday dared the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to deliver its promise of giving five times more subsidy in water and power tariffs in any one BJP-ruled state before polls are held in Delhi.
Delhi goes to polls on February 8.
Kejriwal, who is also the national convener of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), asked the saffron party to explain Delhi BJP chief Manoj Tiwari’s announcement that his party would offer five times more subsidies than what the AAP government was currently offering in the national capital.
“They will give five times more subsidy than us? Meaning? Instead of 200 units you will give 1,000 units free? Instead of 20,000 litres, 1 lakh litres of water will be given free? You are making fun of the public with such promises. Implement it before the Delhi elections in any one of the BJP-ruled states,” he said in a tweet, tagging a Hindustan Times report about Tiwari promising five times the present subsidies.
Tiwari was quick to respond to Kejriwal’s questions and asked the AAP chief to reveal the net benefit to each family in Delhi over the past five years.
Reiterating the BJP’s promise on subsidies, Tiwari tweeted, “@ArvindKejriwal whatever you claim that your government can give in subsidy, we can give minimum five times of that right from February after coming to power. First you tell what did you give to the people of Delhi in the last five years in terms of benefits per family.”
Providing free water and subsidising electricity were the two main poll promises made by the AAP in both the 2013 and 2015 assembly elections in Delhi.
Within hours of coming to power in February 2015, the Kejriwal-led government had implemented both promises. The government offers free water to those who consume up to 20,000 litres every month. The electricity subsidy was revised by the Kejriwal government in August last year, under which it has now made electricity completely free for those who consume up to 200 units or have bills up to ₹800 a month. The 50% subsidy to those consuming up to 400 units is also continuing.
Speaking about BJP’s Sankalp Patra or vision document Tuesday, Tiwari had said, “We will not stop the subsidy people are getting in water and power. We will not only give more subsidies but also ensure that people get clean drinking water in their homes. Currently, people are getting poisonous water. We will give 25,000 litres of free water. We will also ensure that the Delhi Jal Board (DJB) doesn’t suffer any loss.”
“We will give five times more benefits then what the Arvind Kejriwal government is promising. In fact, whatever we promise, will be for 60 months (five years) and not for just two-three months,” he had added.
