Hooda assures farmers of adequate power supply

Shahbad, Dec 2 (UNI) Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda today assured the farmers of adequate supply of electricity even if the government had to purchase it at a higher rate.

Addressing a ''Aabhar Rally'' (gratitude rally) here, the Chief Minister declared that the crops of farmers will not be allowed to wither at any cost, adding that if the need arose, his government would buy electricity even at the rate of Rs 8 or 9 per unit.

The demand for electricity was touching 8500 MW as against the supply of merely 4000 MW, he said.

While referring to the number of incentives being given to the Agriculture sector, Mr Hooda said it was the Congress Party which gave an increase of Rs 250 in the MSP of wheat and bonus of Rs 100 for paddy.

He said on their behalf he had pleaded for remunerative price for their produce. He enlisted the number of schemes implemented by his government which included waiving of arrears of electricity bills amounting to Rs 1600 crore and waiving off interest on cooperative loans.

The last date of the cooperative loan scheme had been extended upto December 31 and it aimed at benefiting the poor people to the tune of Rs 830 crore he said. The government had withdrawn the law under which the defaulters of cooperative loans used to be arrested and put behind bars.

The government had announced to give free residential plots of 100 sq yards each to Scheduled Castes and BPL families, abolition of house tax and chulha tax, appointment of 11000 safai karamcharis in rural areas and speeding up work on Dadupur Nalvi canal, Mr Hooda said.

Assuring the people that he will do his best to meet the shortfall of development in Shahbad, Mr Hooda announced that a stadium would be constructed at village Chemu Kalan and Rs 11 lakh grant will be given for building a dharamshala. He said the proposal for expansion of Shahbad Sugar Mill has been received and the demand to set up a distillery in its complex would be considered.

Mr Hooda said 12 kanal land adjacent to the statue of Shaheed Udham Singh in Shahbad would be allotted for a memorial. He also announced to give Rs one crore out of HRDF for the development of Ismailabad and said that Tangore village would be developed as a Model village.

A Special Economic Zone (SEZ) would be set up in Shahbad, if the Government received a proposal in this regard from any entrepreneur, Mr Hooda added Mr Hooda was presented with a turban by the people of the area as a mark of respect at the rally which was organised to thank him for a number of schemes announced by his government for all sections of the society. He was also presented with a Siropa and a sword by Mr. Amrik Singh of Baba Budha Dal.

The Guest teachers association also presented him with a memento.

The Mandi Association and General Secretary of Haryana Sikh Gurudwara Prabhandak Committee were among many other organisations who honoured the Chief Minister.

UNI