Decision on audit of power companies Wednesday: Kejriwal

The final decision on the audit of power companies in the national capital will be taken Wednesday, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said.

"The power companies were supposed to send their replies by (Wednesday) noon, the final decision will be taken today," he told reporters outside Delhi assembly.

Kejriwal, who took oath as chief minister Saturday, fulfilled his second major election promise Tuesday, reducing power tariff through subsidy, a move expected to benefit an estimated 28 lakh households.

Those consuming up to 400 units -- up to 200 units and 201 to 400 units -- of electricity a month would now get a 50 percent subsidy.

Kejriwal had Tuesday expressed hope that after the audit, there would be no need for subsidy.

He Wednesday agreed that slashing electricity rates through subsidy was not a sustainable solution.

"This is not a sustainable way. That is why an audit is needed. This is just to give some relief to the people till a long-term solution is found," he said.

Kejriwal had Tuesday met Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) Shashi Kant Sharma to seek an audit of the three power distribution companies in the capital.

The three discoms in question -- Reliance companies BSES, BSES Rajdhani (BRPL) and BSES Yamuna (BYPL) -- have had their accounts described earlier by the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) as being "fudged and unreliable" and thus untrustworthy regarding their revenues situation.