The Hindu : Front Page : YSR sets conditions for free power

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Jan 31, 2006

Front Page

Front Page

YSR sets conditions for free power

Special Correspondent

Asks farmers to install capacitors, foot-valves by March 31

HYDERABAD: Chief Minister Y. S. Rajasekhara Reddy has said farmers must install capacitors and frictionless foot-valves before March 31 this year to be eligible for supply of free power from the coming fiscal.

Inaugurating the two-day Collectors' conference here on Monday, Dr. Reddy said these two devices, which ensure quality and reliable power supply, cost less and would not place any burden on farmers.

Tough talk

The Transmission Corporation of Andhra Pradesh had been trying to motivate farmers to go in for these two devices along with ISI-certified pumpsets and plastic pipes for better power supply.

The Chief Minister warned that he would not hesitate to initiate disciplinary action if there were instances of misuse of funds under the National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme and Indiramma, as these were important for ameliorating the lot of the poor. "Ushering in Indiramma rajyam and bringing back smiles in every household is the ultimate aim of my Government," he declared.

Referring to the woes of families displaced under irrigation projects, he said they could approach the State-level committee to resolve their grievances. "One should not complain too much about displacement since an irrigation project benefits a larger number of people." Without referring to the padayatra undertaken by the Telugu Desam Party, he said, "Politics is part of democracy but people will deliver the ultimate verdict."

He instructed Collectors to ensure that ration cards reached each and every eligible person and to deny the benefit to the ineligible. He said the "SRI" method of cultivation to boost paddy production must be promoted as also animal husbandry since it was the best safeguard during drought.

Schemes working well

Expressing satisfaction over the outcome of different schemes launched during the last 20 months, Dr. Reddy, however, said: "More needs to be done." He asked the Collectors to ensure best results and help him face the people again during the next elections with confidence.

He advised them to improve their interaction with people by staying overnight in villages and assess schemes not on the basis of statistics but on the benefits accrued to people.

The Chief Minister wanted greater transparency in the administration by disclosing information whenever it was sought under the Right to Information Act. "The political leadership gives you only an agenda but it is you who have to deliver," he said.

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