New Delhi: The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government in Delhi announced, Wednesday, that it plans to bid for coal block to achieve its target of generating 4,000 MW of power for the city.


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The AAP had made power tariffs in the national capital a key poll issue and promised 50% cut in electricity bills in its manifesto.


As per reports, AAP plans to tie-up with a private company to set up an ultra mega power plant to ensure adequate power to the city at cheap rates.


The decision came days after the Delhi government directed finance and power departments to immediately send their proposals for implementation of the election promises to slash the electricity tariffs by 50 per cent till the audit by the Comptroller and Auditor General of the private power companies (discoms) is completed.


The Kejriwal-led government has also directed the Delhi Jal Board to prepare a proposal on providing free water up to 20,000 litres to every household per month.


During its previous 49-day stint, the AAP-led government had announced a 50 per cent subsidy on power consumption up to 400 units in the national capital due to which power bills of the consumers were cut by half. The then AAP government had also ordered a CAG audit into the finances of three private power distribution companies in the national capital.


The new government also has major plans to improve power generation from renewable sources like solar power.


Delhi has a power demand of about 5,000 MW and is largely dependent on other states to meet its requirements.


Earlier, in an apparent dig at AAP over its poll pledge to reduce power bills, Prime Minister Narendra Modi wondered how such promises could be made by political parties in states which are dependent on electricity supply from outside.


“During every election, political parties promise free power… People need to think about these promises,” said Modi at a renewable energy conference in Delhi on Feb 15.


“The parties make these promises in such states who rely on electricity supply from other states, he added.


“Water accounts for a major chunk of the input cost of farmers. The cost of water is basically due to cost of power. We have to understand the problems farmers are facing,” said Modi.


Reacting to Modi’s apparent dig at AAP, senior party leader and AAP’s Delhi Convenor Ashutosh urged the Prime Minister to help the state government to make power affordable.


“I don’t want to make any adverse comment on the Prime Minister. I just want to make a request to him on behalf of the party that he should help us to make electricity affordable and cheaper because that will do a lot of good to the people of Delhi and I hope that he also wants goodness of people of state,” he said.