Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann said his government is fulfilling a promise made to the people of the state by providing 300 units of free electricity per month beginning July 1. The AAP government had previously announced that every household would receive 300 units of free power beginning July 1.
“Previous governments used to make promises during elections and five years would pass before they were fulfilled, but our government has set a new precedent in Punjab’s history. Today, we will fulfill another promise made to Punjabis. Every family in Punjab will receive 300 units of free electricity per month beginning today,” Mann said in a tweet.
Giving 300 units of free electricity to each household every month was one of the key promises made by the Aam Aadmi Party during the 2022 Punjab assembly polls.
Second state to provide free electricity to people
AAP leader and Rajya Sabha MP Raghav Chadha said Punjab has become the second state after Delhi to provide free electricity to people. “Today is a historic day as Punjab becomes the second state after Delhi to get lifeline electricity free of cost. ‘Kejriwal di pehli (first) guarantee’ to Punjabis becomes a reality,” Chadha tweeted.
300 units of free electricity
Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema, while presenting the AAP-government’s maiden budget on June 27 had said providing 300 units of free power would put an additional burden of Rs 1,800 crore on the state exchequer. The AAP government is fulfilling its first guarantee made to the people of Punjab by providing 300 units of domestic power supply per month free to all citizens of Punjab with effect from July 1.
“This will bring big relief to Punjabis, who are reeling under exorbitant power bills,” Cheema had said. He also said the state government had already planned to finance this scheme by cutting wasteful expenditure and through enhancement of own tax revenue.