The Centre proposed the Ujwal Discom Assurance Yojana (UDAY) with the intention that people from Tamil Nadu would hugely benefit, but the State has not joined it, BJP leader and Union Minister of State for Power Piyush Goyal charged here on Sunday.
He was releasing the BJP’s manifesto for Virugambakkam constituency where the party’s state unit president Tamilisai Soundararajan is contesting.
“UDAY will certainly benefit farmers and not take away the subsidy. We had meetings with the State Power Minister, Chief Secretary and Finance Secretary to explain all the benefits but there is some sort of a misinformation here,” he claimed. If the BJP comes to power in the State, then it will be added to this scheme immediately, Mr. Goyal said.
Transmission capacity
According to him, the Centre has increased the transmission capacity in Tamil Nadu and southern region by 71 per cent. “For decades, the transmission capacity created towards South India was 3450 MW. But in the last two years, the Centre has focussed its efforts in providing more power here and added 2450 MW. By 2019-20, 18,000 MW transmission capacity will be brought to the south, which makes it five times more than that of what it was in 2014,” he claimed.
Power purchase
When asked if there would be a probe into the purchase of power by Tamil Nadu, he said it may not be possible to conduct such inquiry unless the State is ruled by the BJP. “There is power theft here. Also, the losses [by distribution companies] have only been increasing in the last four years. I can’t believe anyone can increase the losses. Who is responsible for buying expensive power?” Mr. Goyal asked.
“From about Rs. 3,500 crore in 2007-08 to about Rs. 14,000 crore in 2013-14, I cannot possible say which of the two governments [DMK or AIADMK] is worse?” he added.
Ms. Soundararajan said, once she is elected, the road widening work of Kaliamman Koil Street that has been suffering from severe traffic congestion will be taken up. “I am a resident of this area for the last 25 years. I have a dream for making this constituency a much better place,” she added. She has even launched a mobile app ‘Virugambakkam Manifesto 2016’.
Ms. Soundararajan has promised several facilities for the residents of Virugambakkam including free transport services, skill development for youth and women, free medical camp, improve infrastructure in the area and creating ‘Virugambakkam e-governance’ where web based services will be provided to residents.
