AAP takes credit for static Delhi power tariff

New Delhi: Delhi's ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Friday claimed credit after the power regulator announced that electricity tariff for domestic consumers in the capital won't be raised.

"AAP has shown yet again that honest intent combined with corruption-free governance can deliver cheapest services," party leader Dilip Pandey told the media here.

"AAP's initiative at stopping the tariff hike will result in Delhiites saving a lot of money from being looted by discoms," he added.

The Delhi Electricity Regulatory Commission (DERC) announced on Thursday that the tariff for domestic consumers would remain at the present levels, saying its own assessment shows surplus revenue for discoms.

The Delhi government "strongly represented the people of Delhi before DERC resulting in no tariff hike for power in 2015", Pandey said.

He said that AAP leaders and legislators attended all public hearings of DERC on tariff hike petitions and registered the citizens' strong opposition to any hike.

"Why was AAP the only party to attend DERC's hearings? Because only AAP can afford to practice honest politics," Pandey said.

He said in the last 15 years, both the Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) gave discoms a free run to increase rates.

He said this was the first time in 12 years that power companies were not in financial loss and there was no hike in power rates.

Pandey added: "AAP will not stop at ensuring there is no tariff hike, but we will continue pushing for powering of electricity tariff."