KTR asks Rahul make Congress policy clear on power supply

The BRS government was spending about Rs.12,000 crore annually towards ensuring the 24 hour-free power to farmers.

Hyderabad: With TPCC president A Revanth Reddy’s statement once again making it clear that the Congress would do away with the 24-hour free power supply to farmers in Telangana if it was voted to power, BRS working president KT Rama Rao on Saturday said Rahul Gandhi should come clear on the Congress policy on power supply to farmers.

“If the Congress is supported, crop holidays for farmers and power holidays for industries will be back,” Rama Rao said here, also demanding that the TPCC president should tender an unconditional apology to farmers.When Congress candidates approach them for votes, farmers should question them as to why ryots should not be given 24 hours of free power and chase them away, he said, stating farmers had every right to switch on the pumps at their convenience and not at the mercy of Congress party’s power policy.

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In 2009, the Congress party in its manifesto had promised to supply nine hours but had failed to supply power even for three hours. Farmers had to spent sleepless nights in their fields and many suffered snake bites and scorpion bites, he said.

In the past, when the TPCC president claimed that three hours of power was sufficient for farmers, many thought he was speaking out of ignorance. But Revanth Reddy has been repeatedly making these comments with arrogance, he said.

“Revanth Reddy’s claims that one 10 HP motor is sufficient for supplying water to one acre per hour reflects his ignorance. His remarks that farmers are being given Rs.10,000 as alms under Rythu Bandhu reflect his arrogance,” Rama Rao said, also stating that the Congress was spreading uncertainty among farmers.

Last week during a road show at Vikarabad, Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar had said five hours of power was being supplied to farmers in his State. Revanth Reddy was repeatedly saying that only three hours was necessary here, with these statements subjecting farmers to untold misery, he said.

On the other hand, the BJP-led NDA government had insisted on installation of meters to agricultural pump-sets. Despite suffering a Rs.30,000 crore loss, Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao had stood firm on the farmers’ side and opposed the Centre’s orders, he said.

The BRS government was spending about Rs.12,000 crore annually towards ensuring the 24 hour-free power to farmers. No other State in the country was extending 24 hours of free power supply to farmers, he said, asking farmers whether they wanted power or the Congress.

On the Congress assurance that a new portal would replace the Dharani portal, the BRS working president asked if the Congress was so committed about farmers’ welfare, why were such portals not introduced in Congress-ruled States.