TRS govt won't allow fixing of meters to agri pump sets: KTR

Hyderabad: IT and Industries Minister KT Rama Rao reiterated that the TRS government will not allow the installation of electric meters at the agriculture pump sets and it will go to any extent for opposing the Centre's decision. KTR called upon the farmers to teach a lesson to the Modi government.

The TRS working president was speaking in the farmers's conclave here at Manneguda. Rama Rao said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi was trying to fix prepaid meters to the pump sets and offering Rs 5,000 crore additional loans for bringing this reform. However, with 28 lakh farmers getting affected with this, the Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao has clearly said that he would not fix meters until he is alive.

He also alleged that the Modi government was also trying to privatise the power companies and handover to his corporate friends. "If this happens there will be no control over the electricity charges. Private individuals and organisations will increase charges excessively. The prices will be increased on a daily basis on the lines of petroleum products," said Rao. He said that except in Telangana, farmers in 27 states are in distress. No one made an effort to fully understand and support the problems of the farmers, he said.

He called upon the farmers to recall the past experience when Telangana State was not formed. He said that there were problems like burning motors, exploding transformers, power cuts, tariff hikes, selling seeds in the police stations, huge lines for fertilizers. Telangana had the highest number of farmer suicides in the country. Nalgonda district, which has the highest number of suicides, is now the top producer of paddy, said Rao adding the agriculture has become a festival under the rule of CM KCR.

The TRS working president challenged the opposition parties to show 24 hours free power supply in any State other than Telangana. Even the farmers in Karnataka and Maharashtra were using the free power of Telangana. When the officials decided to cut the power supply, the Chief Minister insisted that a farmer is a farmer irrespective of whichever State they are.

KTR said that the Prime Minister was under the false impression that the country's wealth would increase by making one or two people rich. Farmers' income will not get doubled by increasing the wealth of Rajagopal Reddy, said Rao. He alleged that there was no response from the Prime Minister when funds were sought for development of Nalgonda.