CM conspires to impose restrictions on free power with Rythu Discom: Jeevan Reddy

BRS general secretary T Jeevan Reddy alleged that the proposed Rythu Discom was part of a plan to restrict free power supply to farmers. He criticised the State government over power policies, farm welfare schemes and the proposed metering mechanism

Jagtial: BRS general secretary T Jeevan Reddy said that, as part of a conspiracy to impose restrictions on free power being supplied to the agriculture sector, the State government had decided to form the Rythu Discom.

Following in the footsteps of his mentor and Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu, who was responsible for the Basheerbagh firing, Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy was planning to impose restrictions on free power supply to farmers.

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Speaking to reporters here on Sunday, Jeevan Reddy demanded that the Chief Minister halt the Rythu Discom proposal. While promising not to fix meters to agriculture pumpsets, the government was conspiring to fix meters to transformers to record the readings of agriculture motors.

It would not be difficult to record the readings of motors since there would be only eight pumpsets under a 25 kV transformer and five under a 16 kV transformer. Revanth Reddy was creating troubles for farmers based on the instructions of Chandrababu Naidu.

Reacting to Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Commission Chairman Kodanda Reddy’s comments before the ERC that three hours of power supply was enough for an agriculture motor, the BRS leader opined that Kodanda Reddy made such comments following the instructions of Revanth Reddy.

Reacting to SPDCL CMD Musharaf Ali’s statement that they would put an end to power theft, he questioned where the power theft had taken place. While promising to provide free power, the government was treating farmers as thieves.

The separate State agitation itself started because of problems in the power sector. Moved by the firing on farmers at Basheerbagh, BRS president K Chandrashekhar Rao started the TRS by resigning from the Deputy Speaker’s post.

Besides developing water resources by constructing the Kaleshwaram project, free power was supplied to the agriculture sector during Chandrashekhar Rao’s tenure.

However, Revanth Reddy, who had promised not to seek votes if meters were fixed to agriculture motors, was trying to cheat farmers by fixing meters to transformers.

Farmers were not in a position to believe Revanth Reddy since he had failed to fulfil promises such as loan waiver, Rythu Bandhu and Rythu Bima. Out of six crop seasons during the Congress regime, the Rythu Bandhu amount was provided for only three seasons.

During the BRS regime, the Rythu Bima facility was provided to all eligible farmers. However, the State government was planning to extend the benefit to only one member of a family.