NEW DELHI: The Delhi Cabinet on Tuesday approved the continuation of the power subsidy scheme for the financial year 2025-26. Under this scheme, the state government provides free electricity to households that consume below 200 units and a 50% subsidy to households that use only 201-400 units per month.
The Cabinet has also decided to extend its existing Electric Vehicle (EV) policy by three months. Though the Cabinet discussed the draft of the proposed Electric Vehicles (EV) 2.0 policy, it was not approved as discussions are on and the existing policy will continue.
The Cabinet was initially expected to approve three proposals: a continuation of the power subsidy, the EV 2.0 policy, and a sugar subsidy for underprivileged families. However, cabinet ministers Ashish Sood and Pankaj Kumar Singh, who briefed the media said only the power subsidy proposal received the go-ahead.
Sood said, “Continuous disinformation was being spread that the government would stop the subsidy, but with this decision, this disinformation stops.”
Chief Minister Rekha Gupta also approved the continuation of the existing power subsidy for four categories: domestic consumers, farmers, lawyers with chambers, and victims of the 1984 anti-Sikh riots. Power Minister Ashish Sood said this was a major decision for the riot victims and lawyers.
Delhi Transport Minister Pankaj Kumar Singh said, “There are many things the government wants to do for its residents. However, I want to clarify that there will be no ban on autos, nor is there any proposal to ban any category of vehicles. The EV policy is expected to continue for approximately three to four months.”
The EV policy has been extended multiple times under both the previous AAP regime and the current government led by the BJP.