The newly announced decision to provide free electricity up to 200 units as part of the government’s first policy initiative has evoked mixed reactions and raised several questions. While supporters welcomed the announcement—made immediately after the new government assumed office and followed by the prompt issuance of an official order—critics questioned the restriction of the benefit to households with bi-monthly electricity consumption not exceeding 500 units. According to official data, only around 23 lakh domestic consumers fall under the category of households consuming more than 500 units once every two months, out of a total 2.23 crore domestic electricity consumers in the state. Authorities estimate that extending the 200-unit free electricity benefit to these higher-consuming households would result in an additional financial burden of Rs 2,431 crore, which is nearly Rs 700 crore more than the current allocation. In effect, this would mean a 40% increase in expenditure to cover only about 10% more consumers, making the proposal financially unviable. Officials explained that the scheme was intentionally limited to households with bi-monthly consumption below 500 units, as such consumers are generally classified as economically weaker sections when compared to higher-consumption households. They also clarified that the original election promise had specified that the free electricity benefit would apply only to eligible consumers, allowing room for consumption-based criteria. It was further noted that households using appliances such as air conditioners typically exceed the 500-unit limit in a bi-monthly billing cycle. As a result, these households were excluded from the scheme, as they are generally considered to be financially better off. Officials emphasized that the exclusion was based on consumption patterns rather than arbitrary selection. Another key factor cited was financial feasibility. The scheme became viable because the second slab of 100 units was already partially subsidized for consumers within the 500-unit limit. If the government were to fully absorb the cost of 200 free units for all domestic consumers, it would have to spend approximately Rs 495 every two months per household for the additional 23 lakh consumers, amounting to around Rs 700 crore annually. Given these considerations, the government decided to limit the free electricity scheme to households consuming below 500 units, stating that the policy aims to prioritize support for lower- and middle-income families while maintaining fiscal discipline.