Free power comes with a rider in AP

Infusing methodology and discipline to its populist measure, Andhra Pradesh government today said that it will give free supply only to those farmers who have power connections as on July 1. ‘‘We will be giving free power only to those farmers who have authorised connections as on July 1 and this has become necessary to sustain the system,’’ Chief Minister Y.S. Rajsekhar Reddy told reporters after a review meeting on power supply.

Nearly 23.35 lakh power connections exist in the state in agriculture sector when Congress came back to power and an estimated 3.5 lakh unauthorised connections are being in use till date, Reddy said. List of authorised power connections will be displayed at all sub-stations within two days to bring the system on rails and all illegal connections will be discouraged, he said.

Indiscriminate use of borewells and unauthorised power connections will be sternly dealt with as we have to safeguard the existing system and bring in some discipline, Reddy said. All unauthorised power connections will be disconnected and resistance of any sort will be firmly dealt with, he said.