Jai Ram Thakur announces 125 units of free electricity, 50% discount on bus fare for women

The scheme will benefit 11.5 lakh families in the state while earlier up to 60 units of free domestic electricity were being provided. Meanwhile, the waiver of water bills in rural areas is also on cards.

Chamba:Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur announced on Friday that every family in the state will receive 125 units of electricity free of cost and a 50 percent discount on bus fares for women. The chief minister was addressing a public meeting on the occasion of the 75th foundation day of Himachal Pradesh in Chamba.

The scheme will benefit 11.5 lakh families in the state while earlier up to 60 units of free domestic electricity were provided. Meanwhile, the water bills will also be waived in rural areas, even though, the Jalshakti Department gets an income of Rs 30 crores from water bills in rural areas. However, no announcement has been made by the CM for the employees on Himachal Day.

The CM approved funds for the Uttala-Holi road route and has also announced the opening of a mini secretariat in Chamba. Earlier, Jai Ram Thakur took the salute in march past presented by the contingents of police personnel including 12 contingents of NCC and NSS Police Band. Assembly Speaker Vipin Parmar and Forest Minister Rakesh Pathania were also present along with Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur.

Reacting to the announcements, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) chief and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said that the Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) government of Himachal has made the announcements by copying Delhi. He added that BJP should announce it in all BJP ruled states otherwise, people will believe that because of the fear of "AAP", they have made these fake announcements before the elections, they will take them back after the elections.

Meanwhile, the Deputy Chief Minister of Delhi Manish Sisodia stated that BJP is making electricity costlier across the country. "Feared by AAP, they are falsely copying the Kejriwal model for the elections. The people of Himachal will not fall for this show. This time they will choose AAP," said Sisodia.