Assam CM Himanta Ends 75-Year-Old VIP Culture, Vows to Himself Pay His Electricity Bills

Guwahati: Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Sunday vowed to end the decade old VIP culture in the state involving the electricity bills of the residences of the state government ministers and high-ranking officials including the chief minister which was being paid by the state government using taxpayer’s money. CM Himanta Biswa Sarma on June 16 announced the end of a 75-year-old VIP culture and asserted that he will himself be paying the electricity bills from July 1, 2024.

In a post on social media X, the Assam CM Sarma said, “We (Assam Government) are ending the VIP culture rule of paying electricity bills of government officials using taxpayer money.” While making the announcement, the Chief Minister also stepped forward to lead by example, saying that he himself and the Chief Secretary of Assam would be the first to start paying their own electricity bills starting July 1st.

Assam Secretariat Became Country's 1st Green State Government Headquarters

The 55-year-old BJP leader said, “The Chief Secretary and I will set an example and start paying our power bills from July 1 onwards. Beginning July 2024, all public servants will have to pay for their own electricity consumption.”

CM Sarma said, we usually find that the electricity bills of the residences of our ministers and senior government officers or the residences of the secretariat are paid by the government. This has been going on for 75 years. It is not a new system.

Adding to it, he stated, this system is going to change to ensure that the electricity board does not have to increase electricity charges in lieu of the losses incurred due to the existing VIP culture.

“Even, I have been enjoying free electricity for three years; I was not aware. Got to know about it recently during the course of a discussion. I hope this will help the electricity board,” Sarma said.

His announcement came on the same day the Assam Secretariat became the country's first green state government headquarters with the inauguration of a 2.5 MW solar power project on its campus.

In his post on X, the CM wrote, “We are ending the VIP culture rule of paying electricity bills of government officials using taxpayer money. Myself and the Chief Secretary will set an example  and start paying our power bills from July 1 onwards. Beginning July 2024, all public servants will have to pay for their own electricity consumption.”