Minister allays TN’s fear on power subsidy

The Centre’s Ujwal Discom Assurance Yojana, a scheme for the financial rejuvenation of distribution companies, does not envisage doing away with state’s power subsidies, the Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Power and Coal, Piyush Goyal, has said.

Tamil Nadu stands to gain the most if it adopts UDAY scheme as it will save ₹22,000 crore over four years. But the Centre is unable to launch the scheme here because of State government’s inaction, according to Goyal who oversees the BJP’s Assembly election campaign in Tamil Nadu.

Addressing media persons at an event organised as part of an election campaign by the State BJP President Tamilisai Soundararajan, he said the UDAY scheme will benefit farmers.

Free pump-sets As part of the scheme, farmers will get free pump-sets that are more efficient and come with a five-year warranty. The savings in power will be used to fund the pump-set purchase. In October last, a team of senior officials from Tamil Nadu had visited Delhi and the scheme was explained to them.

But though the utility here is losing about ₹12,000 crore a year because of inefficiency, the State government has not adopted it.

Why is the State buying expensive power to meet its demand? he asked.

Somebody will have to be held answerable. Since power purchase is a State subject, the Centre cannot order a probe. But if the BJP comes to power in the State, it will order an enquiry into every power purchase, he said.

He urged voters not to be taken in by freebies promised by the two Dravidian parties, the ruling AIADMK and the opposition DMK, which have been in power the state alternately in the last few decades.

Tamil Nadu needs a honest and transparent government to fully realise its economic potential.

The BJP at the Centre has proven its capability over the last two years and the voters should support it, he said.