Chandigarh: The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government in Punjab on Saturday announced 300 units of free electricity for every household from July 1, according to the State Information and Public Relations Department. The announcement came on the day when Bhagwant Mann-led government completed its one month in the office today.
Providing free electricity to every household for up to 300 units is one of the major promises made by AAP in Punjab in the Assembly elections that concluded last month. In Delhi, the AAP government provides 200 units of free electricity to the people. Earlier, Mann rolled out a doorstep ration delivery scheme in the state last month which was also AAP's key campaign agenda in the polls.
It may be recalled that on April 11, Mann met Aam Aadmi Party convener and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal in Delhi. He reportedly had a discussion on the free electricity scheme in Punjab. Since then, there has been speculation about its announcement. For the past several weeks, preparations are going on to provide 300 units of electricity free in Punjab. Earlier, Mann had also met senior officials of Punjab.
On the lines of Delhi, during the Punjab Assembly elections 2022, the AAP had promised to provide 300 free electricity every month to the people of the state if voted to power. However, since the formation of the AAP government in Punjab, the Opposition has been alleging that the Mann government is being "controlled" by Delhi. Congress is continuously claiming that Kejriwal is controlling the government of Punjab, and due to this, the government is not able to work freely.
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal congratulated Mann for his government's decision to provide free power supply up to 300 units to the state's people adding that the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) does what it says and it does not make false promises like other parties. "Bhagwant ji, many congratulations for this wonderful decision. We fulfilled our first promise. We do what we say. We don't make false promises like other parties," Kejriwal tweeted in Hindi. "Now an honest and patriotic government with clear intentions has come. (It) Will save money by ending corruption. (It) Will not let the lack of money come in the way of Punjab's progress," he said.
Read: Bhagwant Mann in Delhi, to discuss provision of free electricity in Punjab with Kejriwal today
Addressing a virtual press conference later, Kejriwal, without naming anyone, slammed leaders of rival parties for calling him a liar during the Punjab elections when he had promised that AAP will provide free electricity to the people, if voted to power. "We did it. We do not take bribes and indulge in corruption," he said, assuring the people of Punjab that the AAP will fulfil all the poll promises it made in the state. After formation of the AAP government in Punjab, he said several "big mafias" approached him, Mann, ministers, party MLAs and leaders seeking favours by offering bribe. "All the big mafias, who were looting Punjab, started approaching me, Mann, our ministers, MLAs, party functionaries, asking what is the system in your party, who has to be approached with bribe" Kejriwal said.
"We told all of them to work honestly, otherwise we will put you in jail. And everything fell in their place. See within a month your electricity became free. We saved every penny for this," he added. In the last 75 years, Kejriwal claimed, AAP is the only party which has fulfilled all its poll promises. "There are several people who say that promises made before elections were not meant to be fulfilled, they were just chunavi jumla (poll gimmick), " he said in a veiled attack at the BJP. "We are not like that. We are truthful, staunch honest, patriots. We are educated. What we say that we do, he said, and asked people to have faith in the AAP.
He expressed happiness over Mann's announcement and said people will get some relief when they start getting free power amid rising inflation. "People will be able to save some money to spend on their children and themselves, he said. He also hit out at the BJP government at the Centre holding its policies responsible for price rise in the country "The policies being framed by other governments is only leading to price rise," he charged.
Kejriwal took on AAP's rivals, saying that instead of appreciating CM Mann for his "wonderful" decision, they are opposing it. "They are opposing because they do not want this corrupt system to change," he said, adding, "We don't care because we are working for this country." "We in AAP are going to change the system for posterity," Kejriwal said.
(With agency inputs)
