The Andhra Pradesh government has said that the ‘Power for All’ scheme of the Central government will be implemented in the State from October 2. Andhra Pradesh, Delhi and Rajasthan were selected for the centrally-sponsored scheme.
Answering a question on power sector in the Assembly on Monday, Information and Public Relations Minister Palle Raghunatha Reddy said there was no move to collect even a rupee towards power dues of farmers in the State.
Mr. Reddy also said the government had allotted Rs. 3,128 crore for free power this year, which was so far given for seven hours but will be increased to nine hours “within no time.”
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The government will release 50,000 out of 76,000 pending agricultural connections this year and an equal number next year.
Mr. Reddy added that the government had successfully brought down the power demand in the State from 22 million units to zero level in the 83 days of its rule. The government had completed online monitoring of 6,000 out of 9,264 targeted power feeders to study whether they got single or three phase supply and other issues.
As part of energy saving measures, the government would install 1.20W LED bulbs in domestic sector and replace five lakh street lights.
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Earlier, YSR Congress MLA Chevireddy Bhaskar Reddy charged the government with forcible collection of power dues from farmers. They were forced to pay tariff at the rate of 9,390 units a year for the past nine years. The domestic and agricultural demands were clubbed, he alleged. He said the farmers were driven to commit suicide unable to clear the dues.
Peddireddy Ramachandra Reddy of the same party alleged that the government proposed to privatise distribution companies.