The Motor Is Running

Free power to farmers was the Congress catchphrase that helped the ride to victory in the assembly polls last year. So it was a shock to hear CM Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy announcing that those who continued to grow paddy in the rabi season (using borewells) would have to cough up charges for the daily 7-hour power supply. The CM says this step aims to conserve groundwater and encourage crop diversification. He’s also instructed farmers to instal capacitors on pumpsets by March 2006 to prevent power wastage. The Opposition was quick to slam the move, calling ysr’s bluff on the free power promise.