New Delhi: 'LG forced dept to send proposal to stop free electricity to farmers'

New Delhi: Delhi Power minister Atishi on Thursday alleged that her department has been forced by Lt Governor VK Saxena to prepare a proposal to stop free electricity to farmers and lawyers' chambers. No immediate reaction was available from the LG office over the minister's allegation. She said that a file from the Power department was received by her earlier in the day which proposed to stop free electricity for farmers and the chambers of lawyers in Delhi.

"Power department officials said there is a lot of pressure from LG and BJP leaders to stop free electricity provided by the Delhi government," Atishi claimed, and wondered how could such a proposal come without approval of the Chief Minister or the minister concerned. "This proposal has been prepared under pressure from the LG. I want to say to him that you hate AAP and Arvind Kejriwal, but I request you not to hate us so much that you also come to hate even people of Delhi including farmers and lawyers," she said.

"Free electricity scheme will not be stopped till Kejriwal is there," the minister stressed. Under a Delhi government scheme, the city farmers receive free electricity and lawyers subsidy on electricity for their chambers. Domestic electricity consumption up to 200 units per month is free, while users whose monthly consumption is 201 to 400 units are paid 50 per cent subsidy capped at Rs 850, under the scheme.