AAP rubbishes Maken’s claims on Delhi power tariffs

New Delhi, Aug 29 (IANS) Former Union Minister Ajay Maken here on Thursday accused the Arvind Kejriwal government of giving huge funds to power firms in the name of providing subsidy to the people, which was rubbished by the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP).

Maken, who was Power Minister in the Shiela Dikshit government, said five years ago Kejriwal was saying power companies were looting the people.

"Now, why is he paying them and not transferring the subsidy directly to people? The Delhi government has been misleading people in the name of subsidy. It's a Rs 8532.64 crore scam."

Maken also released a 16-page report titled 'The Truth of Power Sector in Delhi'. The Congress leader said the average per unit rate of electricity had increased. "The average rate was Rs 7.36 in 2013-14. It has gone up to Rs 8.45 in 2018-19," he said.

On the the AAP government's announcement of free 200 units to people, Maken said the percentage of the population consuming 0-200 units power is just 6.87 per cent and those consuming 200-400 units are 11.41 per cent. "Kejriwal must explain the benefits for the remaining 83 per cent," he said.

Rubbishing the claims, AAP Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh said Maken was the BJP's man in the Congress and was talking their language. Singh said the Congress leader was lying.

Singh said the Delhi government had set an example through its decision to provide free 200 power units every month and the electricity rates in Delhi were the lowest in the country.

"Maken had no facts and all allegations have been made without any use of the brain. Maken is claiming that per unit power in Delhi is at Rs 8.45, such an absurd claim can only be made by a person who is either ill-informed or has not been properly briefed by the BJP, at whose behest Maken is making such laughable allegations. The way Maken is quoting the rates of Gujarat and Maharashtra, it seems he is working as a BJP man within the Congress," Singh said.

Singh said since the AAP came to power in Delhi in 2015, electricity tariffs had been consistently reduced.

"In 2010, the electricity used to cost Rs 539 for 200 units and in 2013 it increased to Rs 988. Can Maken hide anywhere and explain how a 100 per cent hike took place in the Congress regime? Either Maken has not done his homework or he is deliberately misleading the media," Singh said.