Chief Minister of Himachal Pradesh, Jai Ram Thakur on August 28, 2022, launched the 125 units of free electricity scheme for consumers in the state. Thakur was presiding over a function organized by Himachal Pradesh State Electricity Board Ltd. Thakur said that as Himachal Pradesh was known as the “Power State”, the state government felt that the electricity consumers of the state should also get some benefit from the distinction. Himachal Pradesh CM said that the BJP-led state government has taken many such welfare decisions to ensure direct benefits to the common man of the state. As informed by the CM of Himachal Pradesh:
The State Government thus decided to provide 125 units of free power to the consumers. With this decision of the State Government, out of a total of 22,59,645 domestic consumers of the state, over 14,62,130 consumers were now getting zero Electricity bill.
He added:
On the consumption of 125 units of power, the consumers earlier had to pay about Rs 600. Thus providing 125 units of free power, the State Government has ensured saving of about Rs 600 per month for over 14 lakh consumers.
As per Thakur, the state of Himachal Pradesh was generating surplus electricity. He added that the state has about 24,567 MW power potential, out of which 11,138 MW has been harnessed. He further informed that a target of harnessing 10,000 MW of additional power potential by 2030 has been set for the state, out of which about 1,500-2,000 MW would be solar power.
The Himachal Pradesh CM talked about schemes for women empowerment. As informed by him, an additional amount of rupees 25,000 revolving funds have been provided to all the women’s self-help groups associated with the village organization. It was also mentioned about the 50% concession provided to women in the state buses of Himachal Pradesh. He said:
Women constitute fifty percent of our total population and one cannot even imagine development without active participation and overall development of women. With this objective in mind, the present State Government was providing fifty percent concession in bus fares in HRTC buses.
He added:
The Government has started Mukhyamantri Swavalamban Yojana to make women empowered and self-reliant and subsidy up to 35% was being provided to them to start their self-employment venture.
Earlier Prime Minister Narendra Modi had termed the practice of promising electoral freebies as the ‘revdi culture’ and termed it very dangerous for the development of the country. As tweeted by him on July 16, 2022:
This Revdi culture is very dangerous for the development of the country. Those with Revdi culture will never build new expressways, new airports, or defense corridors for you. Together we have to defeat this thinking and remove Revdi culture from the politics of the country.
In the statement submitted by the central government to the Supreme Court on August 3, 2022, electoral freebies were said to distort the informed decision-making of the voter. The statement further read that if unregulated, electoral freebie promises will lead the country to an economic disaster.
The election for the Himachal Pradesh state assembly will be tentatively held in November/December this year. Earlier in April 2022, the poll in charge of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) for Himachal Pradesh and cabinet minister in Delhi government Satyendar Jain had announced in Dharamshala that 300 units of free electricity would be provided to household consumers if the party is voted to power in the state. Later in August 2022, Congress announced 300 units of free electricity to household consumers and financial assistance of rupees 1,500 per month to all women aged between 18 and 60 years if voted to power in Himachal Pradesh.
