Guj Polls: Cong promises sops for farmers

The Gujarat Congress on Thursday promised that it would double the hours of electricity supply to farmers, provide new connections and remove dark zones from the state if they were voted to power in the Assembly polls to be held later this year.

The slew of announcements related to farmers and electricity supply were part of the Gujarat Pradesh Congress Committee's (GPCC's) election manifesto which the party has been announcing at regular intervals. "We will bring a new Act for providing power connections to more than 10 lakh farmers from Dark zone and non-dark zone talukas for new connections. These talukas have been waiting for over 10 years. By enacting a special legislation, liability of electricity companies will be fixed for release of agricultural power connection to the applicants within six months from their application," GPCC president Arjun Modhwadia said.

It may be mentioned here that this year the Modi government had announced 1 lakh electricity connection in the dark zones areas of the state during the state budget session in March.

Besides power connections to 10 lakh farmers including those in the 55 dark zone talukas, the Congress leader announced 16-hours per day power supply to farmers, upto 90 per cent subsidy in water pumps of 5 HP to 100 HP running on solar and wind power and provision for free solar street lights in 18,000 villages.

Modhwadia alleged that Chief Minister Narendra Modi was misleading the people outside Gujarat by claiming that farmers in the state receive 24 hours power supply. "The farmer is having only 8 hours power supply which include 4 hours power supply during night time," he claimed.