Hyderabad, February 25: Not satisfied with the State Government’s reply on implementation of free power scheme and Tatkal connections under the agricultural category, the main Opposition Telugu Desam Party today staged a walkout from the Assembly.
Minister for Major and Medium Irrigation Ponnala Lakshmaiah (on behalf of the Chief Minister), in reply to a question relating to Tatkal connections for agriculture sector raised by TDP member P Srinivas Reddy and others during Question Hour proceedings, has given contradictory statements on the free power scheme.
While admitting that free power would also be implemented for Tatkal connections, he said that an a m o u n t o f Rs.23.32 crore dues were accumulated under the said connections.
“As for rate per unit for Tatkal connections, they were being charged in three slabs – 20, 50 paise and Re One for other categories of farmers,” he added.
Taking exception to the minister’s reply, Opposition leader N Chandrababu Naidu alleged that the Congress Government has deviated from its promise to have free power supply to agriculture sector. Expressing dissatisfaction to the Minister’s reply, he demanded the Government to fulfil its pre-poll promise of nine hours free power supply to farmers and to treat all farmers equally. He led his party members to stage a walkout in protest against the Government’s attitude on free power scheme and for collecting fee on Tatkal connections.
Lakshmaiah, in his reply, further said that a total of 3.4 lakh agriculture connections were given under the Tatkal scheme and still another 60,000 applications were pending before the Government. All Tatkal connections under agricultural category were given free power since 2008.
He urged the Opposition parties not to resort to `political mudslinging’ against the Government.
——–Agencies