Karnataka - Raichur   

Bangarappa promises free power

Staff Correspondent

`Kharif sowing delayed, farmers face prospect of drought'

RAICHUR: The former Chief Minister and Samajwadi Party State unit president, S. Bangarappa, on Tuesday promised to provide free power to irrigation pumpsets and beneficiaries under the Bhagya Jyothi scheme if his party comes to power in the next Assembly elections.

Mr. Bangarappa said that during his tour of Bidar, Gulbarga and Raichur districts, he found that kharif sowing has been delayed because of lack of rain. Should there be no rain next week, farmers will face problems. The State Government has remained passive to the situation so far, he said.

He had taken steps to provide free power supply to farmers and the poor when he was the Chief Minister. But when S.M. Krishna became the Chief Minister, the Government fixed meters to irrigation pumpsets and imposed penalties on electricity dues, increasing the burden on farmers. Now, the State Government has failed to protect the interests of farmers. Apart from metering power supplied to irrigation pumpsets, it is harassing farmers while recovering pending electricity dues.

Predicting early elections to the Legislative Assembly, Mr. Bangarappa said people in the State are not happy with the performance of the Congress-Janata Dal (Secular) coalition. They know how the two parties joined hands to form a government after fighting each other in the elections. The Chief Minister is a puppet in the hands of the former Prime Minister and Janata Dal (S) president, H.D. Deve Gowda, he said.

Criticising the United Progressive Alliance Government at the Centre, Mr. Bangarappa said so far the Centre has failed to implement any schemes or programmes for the welfare of farmers and the poor. A third front will soon emerge as an alternative to the United Progressive Alliance, he said.

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Bangarappa promises free power

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