Defied PM’s insistence, ensured free power to farmers, says CM KCR

The Centre, he said, was adamant about fitting meters on all agricultural pump sets and imposing electricity bills on farmers in the State.

Hyderabad: Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao said he had opposed installation of electricity meters to farmers’ agricultural pumpsets in Telangana, defying Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s insistence. The Centre, he said, was adamant about fitting meters on all agricultural pump sets and imposing electricity bills on farmers in the State.

“But I did not comply then and will not comply ever. Instead, I chose to provide uninterrupted and free power supply to the agriculture sector in the State. As a result, we were fined and were deprived of funds worth Rs.25,000 crore from the Centre,” he said at the Praja Ashirvad Sabha at Alair on Sunday.

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Stating that his decision helped the State in staggering timings of operation of pumps throughout the day, reducing the load on transformers and the overall distribution system, the Chief Minister said unlike other States including Gujarat that were collecting electricity bills from farmers, Telangana was the only State to supply 24 hours of free power to the farm sector.

“Supplying ample power for farming, along with enhanced irrigation, led to increased yields and higher incomes for farmers. I don’t care if the Centre fined me for that,” he said.

The BRS president also disagreed with the Congress argument that the agricultural sector required only three hours of power and that Rythu Bandhu was wasteful expenditure. “Rythu Bandhu is for stabilising agriculture. The Congress might feel that we are wasting taxpayers’ money, but today we are producing three crore tonnes of paddy,” he said.

Chandrashekhar Rao urged the voters of Alair not to get swayed by speeches from leaders like Rahul Gandhi, who only read out speeches written by the local Congress leaders. Asking them to use their wisdom when casting votes and to support the BRS, he also also advised the younger generation to learn about the historical blunders committed by the Congress and injustice done to Telangana before casting their votes.

Mallannasagar of Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation Scheme (KLIS), Gandhamalla and Baswapur reservoirs would soon be filled, and supply water to Yadagirigutta Gandi Cheruvu, he said, adding that 80 percent of the work on the Aswaraopalli canal was complete. This would bring irrigation to the entire Alair mandal. He also assured more check dams on Cholleru and Ikkeru streams.