The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh News : We will not increase power tariff: YSR

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Apr 26, 2004

Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

We will not increase power tariff: YSR

By Our Special Correspondent

HYDERABAD, APRIL 25. The former Congress Legislature Party leader, Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy, announced that in addition to supplying power free of cost to agriculture, the Congress, if elected, would not resort to hike in power tariffs for at least three years.

At a meet-the-press programme today, Dr. Reddy said people would have to brace themselves for a 30 per cent hike in the power tariff immediately and yearly hikes of a minimum 15 per cent if the TDP Government was re-elected.

There was no reason for the Andhra Pradesh Electricity Regulatory Commission to object to a temporary cap on tariff or to low tariffs. The free power promise would cost the Government just Rs. 250 crores, which was less than what the TDP Government was spending annually on publicity.

The power purchase agreements signed with private companies would be scrutinised and excess payments made to them would also be recovered. All major deals would be renegotiated with retrospective effect, he added.

Asserting that better management skills and corruption-free governance would alter the face of the State soon, Dr. Reddy said the priorities of the Congress would be to stabilise market prices, improve agricultural productivity and create more irrigation potential. Refuting the TDP president, N. Chandrababu Naidu's charge that the Congress would give free run to naxalites, he said his party was only seeking negotiations as a way out.

He alleged that Mr. Naidu had himself advised NTR to lift the ban on the People's War in 1995. In the present elections too, he had given ticket to former naxalites and his Government had allowed the real estate mafia in Hyderabad to thrive in connivance with surrendered extremists.

The Congress leader said his party had no objection to bringing the office of Chief Minister under the purview of the Lok Ayukta. It would also seek action against corrupt civil servants.

Claiming that his party's promise to complete pending projects in three years did not mean heavy borrowings, he said the Congress would not hesitate reviewing all World Bank-aided projects in the light of the conditionalities imposed by it.

Dr. Reddy accused the Telugu Desam of spending up to Rs. 2 crores in every constituency and making liquor flow to influence the voters. People would not put their future at stake for the sake of liquor or money, he said.

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