YSRCP flays Govt on power tariff hike

Hyderabad, Nov 3, 2012: YSR Congress party today slammed the Kiran kumar Reddy Government for imposing additional financial burden on the people through increase of power tariff and asked it to withdraw the hike immediately.

Addressing media persons here, party spokesman Janak Prasad came down heavily on the Government for increasing the electricity charges by Re.1.32 per unit and warned it would face the wrath of the people if the hefty hike is not withdrawn immediately.

“While there was no increase of power tariff during the six-years of YSR regime, Kiran Kumar Government has been increasing the power tariff every three months like his predecessor Rosaiah,” he charged, adding that the Government has been subjecting people to additional financial suffering by imposing a total burden of Rs.1740 Cr for the first quarter of the financial year 2012-13 in the name of fuel surcharge adjustment (FSA).

He said the Electricity Regulatory Commission (ERC) has become toothless and gum less in the hands of the Government which is using it only for hiking the charges. “The Government’s mindless decision will bring financial problems to the tenants who stay in rented houses,” Janak Prasad observed.

Janak Prasad also lambasted the Government for being silent on the losses suffered by farmers due to incessant rains in the last four days. While total crop in 2 lakh acres has been destroyed, crop in 5 lakh acres has been partially destroyed due to the rains but no minister has visited the affected areas till now, he said.

Govt cheating people on the gas supply

Janak Prasad said the Government has cheated people by supplying gas to the Congress MP Lagadapati Rajagopal’s commercial power plant and not to his ordinary power plant. “If the Government has decided to supply gas to its ordinary unit, power could have been purchased from his company for only Rs.2.20 per unit but now the Government will have to pay the rate of Rs.5.40 per unit,” he said finding fault with the government.

Janak Prasad decries Naidu’s stance

Janak Prasad said TDP chief Chandrababu Naidu has limited himself to criticizing the Kiran Kumar Government for its failures. “He should move a no-confidence motion against the Government or else announce openly that he has decided to support the Government as a quid pro quo for removing cases against him,” he said.