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Power at flat rate to U.P. weavers

Special Correspondent

New rates will be Rs.65 per horse-power in urban areas and Rs. 37.50 in rural areas

LUCKNOW: The Uttar Pradesh Government will supply electricity at flat rates to the weavers working on powerlooms in the State. The new rates will be Rs.65 per horse-power in the urban areas and Rs. 37.50 per horse-power in the rural areas.

Addressing a Press conference here on Tuesday, Energy Minister Shivpal Singh Yadav said the move would benefit 25,000 weavers' families in Mau, Varanasi, Ambedkar Nagar, Meerut and Jhansi districts, covering a population of around 3 lakh. "There are about 3 lakh powerlooms in these districts," he added.

Mr. Yadav said the decision to supply power to weavers at par with the farmers would accrue an additional burden of Rs. 30 crores on the State exchequer. The money would be in the form of subsidy on power supply to weavers, mostly belonging to the minority community. He said a Government order to this effect was issued on June 14.

The Energy Minister said complaints about meter reading of the powerlooms would be attended to and inconsistencies in meter installation rectified. He said following the decision, only Rs. 200 would be charged for installing meters.

Mr. Yadav claimed that the move would enhance the weavers' capacity to produce better stuff and enable them to stand up to the stiff competition in the market.

Stating that the decision fulfilled the promise made to weavers in the party poll manifesto, Mr. Yadav said the Union Government was sceptical about the success of the scheme. "Despite the Centre's non-cooperation, the Uttar Pradesh Government has shown that it can give power at flat rates to the weavers." He criticised the Centre for "discriminating against Uttar Pradesh" and said the State was not getting enough power from the Central sector.

Referring to Union Energy Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde's claim that Uttar Pradesh was getting 4,000 MW from the Central sector, he said only 2,300 MW was available from the Centre's discretionary quota on Monday.

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