Scrapping free power will create foodgrain shortage: TNCC president KS Alagiri

Tamil Nadu Congress Committee (TNCC) president KS Alagiri also urged Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami-led AIADMK regime not to surrender the rights of the State farmers to the Centre, like they did on NEET issue, which would create food grain shortage.

Alagiri who led the demonstration in Kumbakonam condemned the BJP-led Centre for trying to misuse the lockdown by attempting to scrap the free electricity scheme which has been benefitting the state farmers for three decades now.

Stating that the scheme was introduced by former Chief Minister M Karunanidhi to create parity between farmers depending on rivers and wells for irrigation, the TNCC chief said the BJP regime was trying to scrap it in the garb of economic reforms. Describing the scheme as a ‘right’ and not ‘concession’, Alagiri referred to the Centre’s instruction to States to collect tariff from farmers and later pay them the subsidy directly as cash, and said the Congress was not ready to believe the AIADMK regime because it might be forced to subscribe to the scheme the same way it did on NEET issue. Claiming that over 23 lakh pump sets besides weavers were dependent on the scheme, the TNCC chief said that if scrapped, farmers would be directly affected, which would force the State to depend on other states or countries for food grains.