BHUBANESWAR: The BJD on Monday tried to corner the newly-elected BJP government in the state on its promise of free power questioning it about the implementation of PM-Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana which envisages provisioning of free electricity up to 300 units to consumers.
Deputy chief whip of the BJD legislature party Pratap Keshari Deb, said the regional party under former chief minister Naveen Patnaik had promised to provide free electricity for consumers using up to 100 units in its election manifesto. The party supremo would have signed the first file in this regard had he returned to power. “The BJP had also made a promise to waive bills up to 300 units. Since it is July 1, we expect the state government to keep its word and walk the talk,” he said.
Deb said it is expected that the BJP will keep the promise regarding free electricity. “We have not heard anything regarding waiver of electricity bills since June 5, which is why we felt the need to remind the government of the promise made to the people of Odisha,” he said.
During the poll campaign, the BJP and PM Narendra Modi had elaborated on the scheme. The PM had said that the Centre is providing over `75,000 subsidy for installing rooftop solar panels, allowing a consumer to use up to 300 units of free electricity and earn from the surplus. Deb also alleged that misleading information is being spread on Ratna Bhandar of Jagannath temple.
“It should not have been an issue at all as the state government had approached the high court which had asked it to form a committee. The state government would have proceeded as per the report of the committee for opening of the Ratna Bhandar. Nobody has taken something and run away or hidden the keys,” he stated.