The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has managed a clean sweep in Delhi. The Arvind Kejriwal-led has managed to bag 63 out of the 70 seats in Delhi. One of the major election promise by Arvind Kejriwal in this election and the last term was that of free electricity and water.
Even though there is a collation government Maha Vikas Agadi that is ruling the state of Maharashtra and if this government continues, one is unlikely to have elections for the next four years, BMC is planning to borrow a leaf from the AAP’s textbook.
Arvind Kejriwal government in Delhi gives 100% subsidy in power tariff up to 200 units of electricity. Maharashtra government is planning to give free electricity up to 100 units every month to residential users.
This proposal is still under consideration and Nitin Raut who is energy minister of the state mentioned that there are plenty of things that he and the MVA government needs to consider before rolling out a plan of this nature. For now, he has asked his department to submit a feasibility report of executing this project. He has also asked them to start a recovery drive for the pending electricity bills which are to the tunes of Rs 33 crores. Majority of the unpaid bills are from the unpaid agricultural bills.
If implemented this drive can bring down electricity bills in urban areas substantially. However, the larger question remains that will this vote bank politics actually beneficial to the state? Would it increase the economic burden? And also giving free water and electricity not lead to more wastages by people and they tend to not value these natural resources as much as they should be?
AAP’s victory does point out that common people love freebies but should all government follow this politics of freebies?
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