Capt stands by free power to farmers

Punjab Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh today announced that the state was determined to supply free power to the agriculture sector regardless of Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh’s scathing criticism of the states giving power freebies.

The PM had on May 28 said at Nathpa Jhakri that free power to farmers was a major impediment in the government’s efforts to enhance power generation and that it had to be stopped. This announcement had raised apprehensions in the minds of the farming community which had already been promised free power by Amarinder. His announcement today will put to rest all such fears.

Amarinder told reporters said the ‘‘modalities for free power would be worked out later’’ but made it clear that he will fulfill the promises made by his party in the election manifesto.

The CM said free power to the agriculture sector had been withdrawn in view of the financial constraints and the poor health of the state as well as the Punjab State Electricity Board. But with a marked improvement in the financial health of the state, modalities were being worked out to raise funds to compensate the PSEB for the free power that would be supplied to the farm sector.