Misleading messages claim Delhi Minister Atishi announced cancellation of power subsidies

What is the claim

A video of Delhi Power Minister Atishi announcing an end to power subsidies in the national capital is circulating widely online ahead of the sixth phase of polling on May 25. was superimposed with text in Hindi that reads: “Free electricity ends in Delhi. (translated into English). »

Several users on X (formerly Twitter) shared the clip claiming the party had decided to end the subsidy before the election, urging voters to think about who to vote for. Archived versions of these articles can be found here, here and here.

In the 34-second clip, Atishi says, “The electricity subsidy for 46 lakh families in the national capital ends today, which means from tomorrow, subsidized electricity bills will no longer be paid. Those who previously received zero bills will see an increase, and those who did. A 50 percent subsidy will result in higher bills.

However, the video is from a press conference held by Atishi in April 2023. She had claimed that the Delhi government should end the subsidy because VK Saxena, the lieutenant governor of Delhi, had not cleared the case.

What we found

We came across a video posted by the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on its official website. Channel X (archive here) on April 14, 2023. In it, Atishi said the government should end the electricity subsidy, citing expected approval from LG as the reason.

She showed several letters from power distribution companies (discoms) to the government and said they were planning to increase tariffs for the year 2023-24. She pointed to a letter from Tata Power and said they would start charging for unsubsidized services due to lack of communication on continued electricity subsidies.

The viral video only includes the first minute and 20 seconds of the original footage. In the full video, Atishi explains the reasons for withdrawing the grant, which were omitted from the viral clip.

According to a Hindustan Times report, the LG’s office refuted the claims and said the extension of electricity subsidies had been cleared. While the AAP government said it was done after the press conference, the LG’s office maintained that it was done a day before.

What about electricity subsidy in Delhi?

The Delhi government provides free electricity for monthly consumption up to 200 units. A 50 percent subsidy is given to those who consume between 201 and 400 units of electricity. The government would pay Rs 3,500 crore annually for the power subsidy scheme.

On March 7, 2024, the AAP issued a statement announcing that the Delhi Cabinet, led by Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, had approved the continuation of the power subsidy program for the financial year 2024-25.

The verdict

A cropped video of an April 2023 press conference, in which Delhi Power Minister Atishi announced the “end” of electricity subsidies, was taken out of context ahead of the vote in the national capital.