Delhi electricity consumers will now have to submit their Aadhaar details to receive power subsidy, after the Delhi government’s Energy Department issued a notification following approval from the Lieutenant Governor. Consumers can provide the information through a web portal or another channel specified by the Delhi government.
The notification requires subsidy-seeking consumers to share their Aadhaar number with the concerned power distribution companies and the Delhi government. The Energy Department said the measure would establish a reliable identity and reduce the need for multiple documents while making the subsidy process simpler and more transparent.
Electricity subsidies in Delhi are administered through the distribution licence holders operating in different parts of the city. The Delhi government pays the subsidy to these companies, which apply the benefit to eligible consumer bills.
Under the notified process, consumers who do not yet have an Aadhaar card can apply for one and submit the identity details permitted under the government’s instructions. The notification allows Aadhaar information to be submitted through the designated web portal or any other method subsequently specified by the Delhi government.
According to the report, the new identification process is intended to establish the identity of all consumers receiving the subsidy and identify how many electricity meters may be receiving benefits in the name of a single person. The government will continue to issue the subsidy on the basis of the consumer account number, or CA number, for now.
The report said the identification mechanism could become significant if the subsidy is transferred directly into bank accounts in the future. In that situation, one person may be eligible to receive the subsidy for only one electricity meter, although the notification does not announce such a change in the current payment system.
Delhi’s electricity subsidy scheme was introduced under the earlier Aam Aadmi Party government led by Arvind Kejriwal. Households consuming between zero and 200 units a month currently receive a 100% subsidy, resulting in a zero bill for that consumption level. Consumers using between 201 and 400 units receive a 50% subsidy on the first 200 units, while consumption above 400 units does not qualify for a subsidy and is billed at normal rates.
The Energy Department’s notification therefore changes the information consumers must provide to access an existing benefit, while leaving the current CA-number-based subsidy process in place. The next step for consumers is to submit their Aadhaar details through the government-designated portal or other notified channel.
