INLD demands immediate rollback of hiked power tariff

Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) today submitted a memorandum to Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar here demanding an immediate rollback of the hike in power tariff and an independent high-level probe in the alleged paddy scam in the state.
A delegation of the state's main Opposition party led by senior leader Abhay Singh Chautala also urged the state government to take action against the alleged acts of "omission and commission" and other "irregularities" by the previous Congress regime in the state.
Chautala said they today submitted a "charge sheet" against the previous Congress government to the Chief Minister, demanding action against them.

He said they had earlier given the same "charge sheet", pertaining to alleged land and other scams by the Bhupinder Singh Hooda-led government to the then Governor as well.
On the hiked power tariff, Chautala said the hiked power tarriff had broken the back of the common consumers.
"The power distribution companies have completely failed to check the power theft...But now the consumers are being burdened with the raised tariff," he stated.

The INLD leaders, including Chautala and state unit chief Ashok Arora, who later sat on a dharna in Panchkula to demand rollback of the tariff hike, threatened to intensify their stir if the government does not pay heed.

The power tariffs were revised in the state in May this year effecting an average increase of about 8.5 per cent.
The Opposition also slammed the government for allegedly failing to offer any relief to the farmers whose cotton crops suffered extensive damage in the whitefly attack.
On the paddy scam, INLD alleged that the procurement officials were paying less to farmers but showing higher payments on papers.
They claimed the scam was estimated to be between Rs 4,000 crore to Rs 6,000 crore and demanded action against the responsible officials.