Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Kiran Kumar Reddy today reiterated the Government’s commitment to ensure seven hour power supply to the agriculture sector in spite of the tough situation.
During the debate in the State Legislative Assembly, he said the Government was forced to increase the power tariff for next financial year as the generation and fuel cost have gone up necessitating the move.
He said the State has increased power subsidy to over Rs 6,000 crore for the next financial year and was also willing to buy power at a high cost to bridge the demand-supply mismatch.
Responding to contention of the opposition members that private power producers were being favoured at the cost of State utilities, he said that this was not true.
On the issue of AP Genco paying higher cost for purchase of coal to run their units, the Chief Minister said that coal purchase was of different varieties and not comparable.
However, TRS leader Harish Rao contended that NTPC was paying nearly Rs 1,000 less for one tonne of coal compared to AP Genco.
Meanwhile, opposition members continued to agitate against the Government for not being able to supply adequate power and for what they said thorough mismanagement of the sector.
The President of Federation of Small and Medium Enterprises, A.P.K. Reddy, said the inefficiency of the State Government , political interference and failure to effectively manage the power sector and encouraging private companies are among key factors for such the mess.