AP considering Rs 2 a kilo rice scheme

Hyderabad, Sept 29 (UNI) Close on the heels of Telegu Desam Party(TDP) president N Chandrababu Naidu promising to implement free power to farmers for nine hours if his party is voted to power in the next elections, the Andhra Pradesh government is considering to revive the popular Rs two. a kg rice scheme introduced during the N T Rama Rao regime.

In the wake of Mr Naidu's announcement, the Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy has asked the Finance Minister K Rosaiah to estimate the additional funds required for the subsidy scheme and the Civil Supplies Department to work out modalities for implementing it.

Sensing early polls, Mr Naidu who had dubbed free power scheme mooted by the then leader of Oppositon Dr Reddy as 'economically infeasible', somersaulted and announced that TDP would implement free power to the peasants if his party was voted to power.

Mr Naidu had justified the change in party's stand saying in view of the increase in State Revenue it was possible to provide free power to farmers for nine hours now.

The separatist Telangana Rastra Samithi was quick to announce free power to peasants for 12 hours as and when the separate Telangana state was formed.

According to official sources, the government had been providing 2.42 lakh tonnes of rice at a cost of Rs 5.25 to 1.70 crore white ration cardholders every month and 54,525 tonnes rice to fifteen lakh people at the rate of Rs three per kg under Antyodaya Annayojana Scheme.

The Government had been providing subsidy of Rs.901.43 crore for these schemes as of now.

If the Government implement Rs 2 kg a kilo the total subsidy would be touched to Rs 1913 crore involving an additional burden on Rs 1012 crore to the Government.

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