Jaipur, Jun 1 (IANS): Ahead of the Assembly election later this year, Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot announced 100 units of free electricity per month to all power subscribers -- domestic or commercial.

He also announced a waiver of permanent fee, fuel surcharge and other fees on consumers using up to 200 units of electricity.

No consumer will get any bill for the first 100 units of electricity consumed. Gehlot made this announcement late Wednesday night.

With this announcement, subscribers with 100 units will have to pay nothing as power bill while those with 200 units will have to pay Rs 503 instead of present amount of Rs 1610. While on Rs 100, the subsidy is Rs 832 and subsidy over 200 units is Rs 1,107.

The Chief Minister in his late night tweet said, "After observing inflation relief camps and talking to the public, there was a feedback that there should be a slight change in the slab-wise exemption in electricity bills. Feedback was also received from the public regarding the fuel surcharge in the electricity bills in the month of May, on the basis of which a big decision has been taken.

"The electricity bill of those who consume electricity up to 100 units per month will be zero. They will not have to pay any bill in advance. - The first 100 units of electricity will be given free of cost to the families who consume more than 100 units per month, that is, no matter how much the bill comes, they will not have to pay any electricity charges for the first 100 units. Keeping in mind especially the middle class people, consumers who consume electricity up to 200 units per month, first 100 units of electricity will be free, along with fixed charges up to 200 units, fuel surcharge and all other charges will be waived and will be paid by the state government," he said.

It needs to be mentioned here that Congress' people centric schemes and offer of freebies helped it win in the Assembly elections in Himachal and Karnataka.