Punjab households to get 300 units of free electricity from today: CM

Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann said his government is fulfilling a “guarantee” made to the people of the state as from Friday each household will be getting 300 units of free electricity every month.

The AAP government had earlier announced giving 300 units of free power to every household from July 1.

“Previous governments used to make promises during elections … five years would pass by the time promises were fulfilled but our government has set a new example in Punjab’s history. Today we are going to fulfill another guarantee given to Punjabis. From today, each family in Punjab will get 300 units of free electricity per month,” 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.

AAP leader 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.

Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema, while presenting the AAP-government’s maiden budget on June 27 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.