HYDERABAD: The Telugu Desam Party (TDP) has alleged a move to dilute the free power scheme going by Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy's remarks that the scheme will be extended in the rabi to only those farmers who have installed capacitors to their pumpsets.

Speaking to reporters here on Thursday, senior TDP leaders - Ummareddy Venkateswarlu and P. Keshav - asked the Government to stick to its original promise to supply free power to agricultural sector unconditionally. It amounted to going back on the promise if the Government insisted on the capacitors, they said.

Hydel generation up

It was not proper for the Government to deny free power to farmers after groundwater was recharged considerably following copious rain. The hydel generation also improved a great deal from 2,000 million units last year to what was likely to be 8,000 million units this time round.

Under the circumstances, farmers would like to go for paddy cultivation, which need more power.

They denied the Chief Minister's claim that the capacitors would cost only Rs. 300 to Rs. 500 and that it should not be a burden on farmers after having enjoyed free power for three seasons.

The ISI brand capacitors were part of a package, including pipes and motors, costing Rs. 35,000, the TDP leaders said.

Train accident

They also demanded a judicial inquiry into the train tragedy at Valigonda as the role of railway gangmen in discharging their duties was suspect.

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