Kejriwal's free power announcement in Goa is impractical: Shripad Naik

Panaji, July 15: Delhi Chief Minister and AAP supremo Arvind Kejriwal's pre-poll announcement to provide free power to domestic connections to the tune of 300 units, is a hollow promise aimed only at winning elections, Union Minister of state for Ports, Shipping and Waterways Shripad Naik said on Thursday.

Naik, who is a Lok Sabha MP from North Goa parliamentary constituency also said that people should not fall prey to political announcements which are impractical to implement.

"They make these announcements just for the sake of it. This is not possible. Once they allot the scheme to one per cent of the population, it falls through... People from Goa are not the ones to fall for these announcements," Naik told reporters.

On Wednesday, Kejriwal during his two-day visit to the coastal state, had said that if the AAP comes to power in the upcoming state Assembly polls, the first 300 units of power for homes would be provided free of cost. He had also promised 24x7 power supply as well as scrapping of existing dues owed to the power department, while also announcing free electricity to farmers.

Naik however said that such measures were impractical in terms of governance.

"This scheme is just not possible (to implement). At the most, a government may consider concessions. This has already failed in Delhi. These are hollow announcements aimed at winning elections only," Naik said.