New plans to make power sector healthy

Siddaramaiah on Friday announced that the financial relief provided to farmers, using irrigation pump-sets up to 10 HP would continue. He also announced government assistance to provide and energise 25,000 more IP sets under the Ganga Kalyana scheme in the following year.

He stressed the need to maintain a healthy power sector for growth. Highlighting the Rs 19,531 crore loss that the Karnataka Power Corporation Limited is facing due to pending arrears from ESCOMS, Siddaramaiah said that these would have to be borne by the government.

The Budget he also waived  electricity dues, including penalty for Bhagyajyothi and Kuteerjyothi beneficiaries, up to May 13 this year. A pilot project for providing solar pumpsets up to 5 HP to farmers will be implemented in two districts.

The number of transformer repair centers will be increased to 100 in rural areas and extra transformer banks will be maintained.  The government would subsidize 7 per cent of the cost of solar home appliances.