New Delhi, Aug 30 (IANS) Consumers in Delhi restricting their monthly consumption of power to 200 units would get a subsidy of one rupee per unit, Power Minister Haroon Yusuf said Tuesday, terming the step as a ‘mitigation’ for the recent power tariff hike.

‘The Delhi government has no role in determining the tariff order and the subsidy would be availed by two-thirds of Delhiites,’ said Yusuf. ‘In order to mitigate the effect of tariff hike, the subsidy has been announced.’

‘Of the 30,84,969 consumers, around 19,08,479 would be able to benefit from this scheme. The government will grant subsidy amounting to Rs.180 crore,’ he said.

The minister said that power tariff in the city were cheaper than other metro cities despite the surge in power demand from 3,097 MW in 2003 to 5,028 MW this year.

The Delhi Electricity Regulatory Commission (DERC) Aug 26 increased the power tariff by 21.77 percent. The new rates will be effective from Sep 1.