Reduce water and power tariffs in Delhi, AAP tells Centre

New Delhi: The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) today demanded that the central government should reduce the electricity and water tariffs in the interim budget of the National Capital Territory (NCT). “The AAP appeals to the central government to honour the sentiments of the overwhelming majority in the Delhi assembly while presenting the state’s budget in Parliament, and it should reduce the electricity tariffs by 50 per cent and provide 700 litres of water free for every household. [caption id=“attachment_1618633” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  Arvind Kejriwal. AFP[/caption] “Since the BJP’s central government has continued with the previous Congress-led UPA government’s decision of keeping the state assembly in suspended animation, and this situation has been continuing for five months now, therefore the view of nearly 90 percent of the MLAs cannot be ignored,” the party said in a statement. It added that in the assembly elections held in December, 60 of the 70 MLAs (32 BJP and 28 AAP) were elected on the promise of reducing the electricity tariffs in the city. Slamming the UPA government for withdrawing subsidies given by AAP government while it was in power, the party said that the BJP too allowed the budget to be passed. “The UPA government withdrew the subsidy on electricity and water that was provided by the AAP government, and even the BJP quietly allowed the interim budget to be passed without raising the demand for the restoration of the relief that was given to the people. “The Congress, which systematically allowed the private power distribution companies (discoms) to raise the electricity tariffs in Delhi during the Sheila Dikshit regime, was not expected to lower these tariffs nor did it make this promise to the people,” the party said. Since Delhi is under Centre’s rule, budget of the National Capital is expected to be presented in the on-going Parliament session. Meanwhile, the AAP has slammed Israel for its “unprovoked” attacks on Gaza and demanded that India should support the cause of independent Palestine. “We call upon the government of India to support the call for an independent Palestine. These demands, specially for an independent Palestine are hugely important and both the Government and civil society must rise to support the Palestinian people and their struggle for justice, peace and independence,” the party said. PTI