New Delhi, Apr 15 (PTI) The BJP government in Delhi has decided to extend the power subsidy for existing domestic consumers, farmers, lawyers with chambers and victims of the 1984 anti-Sikh riots.

The decision was taken during a Cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Rekha Gupta here on Tuesday.

Addressing a press conference, Power Minister Ashish Sood said the “rumours” that the new government in Delhi would terminate power subsidy have ended.

“The self-proclaimed unemployed political leaders will spread lies every day but the Delhi government is working to end such lies,” Sood said in an apparent dig at the Aam Aadmi Party.

During the campaigning for the Delhi Assembly polls held in February, the AAP leaders had claimed that if the BJP came to power in Delhi, it would do away with all free facilities including electricity.

Under the free electricity scheme launched by the previous AAP dispensation, each domestic consumer can use up to 200 units of free electricity every month. The government provides a 50 per cent subsidy (capped at Rs 800) on monthly consumption of 201-400 units.

Gupta last month presented the annual budget of Delhi for 2025-26, allocating Rs 3,843 crore for the power sector including subsidies for the consumers. This allocation was Rs 3,353 crore in the revised estimate for the financial year 2024-25.

The AAP government in March 2024, extended the power subsidy scheme for domestic consumers till March 31, 2025.

According to official figures, the number of consumers paying zero power bills more than doubled from around 23 lakh in 2022 to nearly 44 lakh in 2025. The number of consumers paying 50 per cent subsidy reduced from 22.28 lakh in 2022 to around 13 lakh in 2025, figures showed.

The power subsidy bill of the Delhi government is more than 3,500 crore per year.

The farmers in Delhi receive a subsidy of Rs 105 per KW per month on fixed charges of electricity bills, while anti-Sikh riots victims get a 100 per cent subsidy.

The lawyers’ chambers are also subsidised on the lines of domestic consumers. PTI VIT RHL