Date:01/01/2005 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2005/01/01/stories/2005010115980500.htm

Andhra Pradesh

`Minor changes in free power scheme'

By Our Special Correspondent

HYDERABAD, DEC. 31. The Chief Minister, Y. S. Rajasekhara Reddy, on Friday said the Government would come out with a policy in a week's time, incorporating "minor changes," in the free power supply scheme. These changes would be implemented from April 1.

Meeting mediapersons for a brief while before leaving for Vijayawada, Dr. Reddy said there would be no major change in the basic structure of the scheme.

The changes contemplated would be minor in nature, basically aimed at overcoming hurdles in effective implementation of the scheme.

He justified the scheme saying farmers who had no canal irrigation facility had to depend on borewells and these need to be energised.

Such farmers already would have invested a lot in sinking borewells and free power supply would provide them relief.