Don’t venture to dilute free power scheme

Hyderabad, April 9,
2013: YSR Congress Legislature Party on Tuesday asked the Government not to
dilute the free power supply scheme intended for the farmers and warned any
attempts to dispense with the scheme would be seriously resisted.

In a statement issued
in Hyderabad, party MLAs M. Sucharita, D. Krishna Das and Sobha Nagi Reddy said
the party will take up the fight on behalf of farmers if the Government makes
any attempts to dilute the scheme.

“We understand the
Government has embarked on a mission to introduce new rules for the scheme for
doing away with it and cut off lakhs of free power connections,” said the MLAs,
adding that YSRCP will not keep quiet if the Government tries to abolish the
free power scheme.

The MLAs said it is
shameful on part of the Government to have issued notices to farmers asking
them to pay the old dues. Besides, the Government is also trying to cut off power
connections of farmers, they said, adding it only reflects the insolvency of
the Government.

The Government’s
efforts to collect service charges from the farmers since 2004 will bring an
additional financial burden of Rs.15, 000 each on farmers.  They faulted the Government for serving
notices and threatening the farmers with disconnections and cases if the dues
are not paid.

“Stop serving notices
for collecting old dues and threatening the farmers with disconnections,” the
MLAs told the Government and demanded to keep its promise of supplying 9 hours
free power supply a day as per the Congress manifesto of 2009.

“Or else, you will face
the consequences,’ the MLAs warned.