Cong legislators boycott Assembly over inadequate power supply

Jaipur, Oct 4 (UNI) Congress legislators today boycotted the Rajasthan Assembly protesting against inadequate power supply to farmers in the state.

Congress legislators were dissatisfied with the reply of state energy minister Gajendra Singh Khinvsar on the power reforms in the state. He was questioned by Congress's Dr Samarjeet Singh during the Question Hour.

The Congress members alleged that the ruling BJP government had not produced even one unit of power during its tenure. They charged that even after government's own claim of reducing transmission losses up to 15 per cent, it had not been able to provide single phase power for 24 hours to farmers.

There were noisy scenes as ruling and opposition members traded charges and counter charges at each other over the power reform programmes. The energy minister's reply also could not be heard amidst the din.

Mr Khinvsar tried to reply that the state government had assured the farmers that those villages which brought down their transmission losses to 15 percent, would be provided single phase power for 24 hours.

The Congress in turn asked how many villages, which had brought down their losses were being provided 24 hours of power They said the minister's claim was false that adequate power was being provided to villages.

Mr Khinvsar said that 24 hours power supply depends on the availability of power. The Congress members protested against this reply and said the governmernt had not produced even a single unit of power, so how it would provide power.

When the minister started enumerating the units of power produced in the state so far, the Congress members began shouting. The Opposition leader Ramnarain Choudhary said the minister was not being able to provide a satisfying answer.

He said the whole state was suffering because of inadequate power and the Congress would boycott in protest.

UNI RRT PK RN1432