Govt extends deadline for fixing capacitors by a month

Hyderabad, Mar 31 (UNI) The Andhra Pradesh Cabinet today decided to extend the deadline for fixing capacitors and foot-valves for availing free power for agriculture purpose, till April 30, 2006.

Soon after the Congress government came to power it implemented its election promise of providing free power to agricultural pumpsets. But recently, it imposed a condition that all the agricultural farmers availing free power should fix capacitors and frictionless foot-valves to their pumpsets so that power could be saved. The government even declared that those who do not fix the equipment by March 31, 2006, would be denied free power.

Opposing the condition Opposition parties alleged that the move was aimed at slowly ending the free power scheme.

Briefing newsmen after the cabinet meeting, Information and Public Relations Minister Mohd Ali Shabbir said there were about 22.16 lakh motors under the free power scheme and in different districts 25 to 60 per cent motors were already fixed with capacitors and footvalves.

He said the government hoped that the agriculturists would comply with the government request by the end of April 2006.

The Cabinet decided not to affect any change in the present Panchayar system before the ensuing election to the local bodies, Mr Shabbir said adding that there would not be any enhancement or reduction in the number of panchayats and no change in the number of MPTC members in the state.

It also decided to spend the revenue earned from beedi leaves on the leaf pickers. The decision would benefit 1.37 lakh families engaged in the picking of the leaves. Each family would get an additional income of Rs 5,000 during the 45-day picking season, the minister added.

The government was also considering to hold elections in different beedi factories as each factory had number of unions affecting production and reducing employment potential of the factories. The Labour Minister was asked to examine the issue and give his opinion if elections could be held to the union directly by the government so that the recognised union could be called for a tripartite agreement with the government and the management, he added.

Stating that the pension for the disabled and widows would be raised from the present Rs 125 to Rs 200, Mr Shabbir said the cabinet also approved allocation of 1.30 acres at Rajahmundry in East Godavari district and 3.30 acres in Guntur for distribution of house sites to journalists.

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