AIADMK accuses DMK of double standards on metering farm power connections
Chennai Dec 28 PTI Work to install electricity meters for agricultural power connections should be halted immediately in Tamil Nadu to allay the apprehensions of farmers the main opposition AIADMK demanded on Tuesday Hitting out at the ruling DMK for maintaining double standards on the issue of metering farm connections AIADMK top leader O Panneerselvam said Chief Minister M K Stalin should take necessary steps to stall the Union governments move vis-a-vis metering Pointing to Stalin rolling out the one lakh farm electricity connection scheme in September Panneerselvam also deputy leader of the opposition in the Assembly said it was projected as if the initiative was a huge achievement Stalin however did not mention anything about metering such connections he said adding that efforts were now on to install meters for all farm service connections There is an apprehension among farmers that the metering exercise is only to levy consumption charges in future he said Hence the government should stop installing meters and Stalin must take steps to halt the Centres move in respect of metering the AIADMK leader added Panneerselvam also former Chief Minister slammed the DMK for shifting its stand on issues based on whether it was in the opposition or on the ruling side The deputy leader of the opposition said when the AIADMK was in power in 2002 the DMK opposed a proposal for installation of meters for farm connections and had even staged protests against the move to politicise the matter Such a stand was taken by the DMK despite late Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa making it clear that free of cost power supply to farmers would continue and the move to install meters was only to record consumption to enable the government to determine demand and supply requirements he said Authorities now are giving exactly the very same explanation put forward during the AIADMK rule for metering farm connections Panneerselvam said The DMK which criticised it then is now doing the same thing metering he said mocking at the ruling party PTI VGN APR APR
Chennai Dec 28 PTI Work to install electricity meters for agricultural power connections should be halted immediately in Tamil Nadu to allay the apprehensions of farmers the main opposition AIADMK demanded on Tuesday Hitting out at the ruling DMK for maintaining double standards on the issue of metering farm connections AIADMK top leader O Panneerselvam said Chief Minister M K Stalin should take necessary steps to stall the Union governments move vis-a-vis metering Pointing to Stalin rolling out the one lakh farm electricity connection scheme in September Panneerselvam also deputy leader of the opposition in the Assembly said it was projected as if the initiative was a huge achievement Stalin however did not mention anything about metering such connections he said adding that efforts were now on to install meters for all farm service connections There is an apprehension among farmers that the metering exercise is only to levy consumption charges in future he said Hence the government should stop installing meters and Stalin must take steps to halt the Centres move in respect of metering the AIADMK leader added Panneerselvam also former Chief Minister slammed the DMK for shifting its stand on issues based on whether it was in the opposition or on the ruling side The deputy leader of the opposition said when the AIADMK was in power in 2002 the DMK opposed a proposal for installation of meters for farm connections and had even staged protests against the move to politicise the matter Such a stand was taken by the DMK despite late Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa making it clear that free of cost power supply to farmers would continue and the move to install meters was only to record consumption to enable the government to determine demand and supply requirements he said Authorities now are giving exactly the very same explanation put forward during the AIADMK rule for metering farm connections Panneerselvam said The DMK which criticised it then is now doing the same thing metering he said mocking at the ruling party PTI VGN APR APR