Farmers Get Only 12 Hours Of Power Supply: BRS

BRS MLA and former minister Harish Rao today accused the State government of providing less than 12 hours of electricity for agricultural use while misleadingly claiming that a 24-hour power supply was being offered.

Rao and MLA Sunitha Laxma Reddy conducted a surprise inspection of the Reddypally power substation in Narsapur, and after inspecting the official logbooks at the substation, Rao said that the records revealed glaring discrepancies between the government's claims and the ground reality.

The visit followed urgent pleas from farmers of Reddypally and Maddur villages, who intercepted the leaders while they were on their way to a party meeting, and complained of acute power shortages during the crucial nursery and transplanting season.

"Chief Minister Revanth Reddy projected himself as the brand ambassador and champion of 24-hour power supply before the elections. However, the substation records clearly show that farmers are receiving only 12 to 13 hours of electricity," Rao said.

He pointed to specific entries indicating that power was cut at 5 pm and restored only at 3 am, leaving farmers without supply during peak agricultural hours.

Launching a scathing attack on the administration, Rao said that everything under the Revanth Reddy government was half-baked. From the promise of 24-hour power to Rythu Bandhu, loan waivers and bonuses, he alleged that everything was a half-measure.

"The real brand ambassador for 24-hour quality power was KCR. Even without a manifesto promise, the BRS government ensured uninterrupted, quality power to every farmer. Today, the Congress has pushed the State back to the dark days when farmers struggled for both electricity and fertilisers," he said.

Targeting Deputy Chief Minister Bhatti Vikramarka, the BRS leader urged the latter to move beyond "grand rhetoric" and face the facts. He also challenged the government to a face-to-face debate on the floor of the Assembly on the State's power supply situation instead of "slinging mud" at the opposition.

Rao also accused the Chief Minister of being "fearful of the car symbol", alleging that the government was delaying cooperative elections because it knew it had betrayed the farming community. "If you have any integrity, stop avoiding elections and start providing the 24-hour power you promised," he said.

"Do not take action against these officials merely because we inspected the truth. If the government is honest, it should focus on fixing the power supply rather than targeting employees," he added, demanding immediate restoration of 24-hour free power to the agricultural sector.