CHENNAI: The Tamil Nadu Assembly witnessed passionate yet calm debate between the treasury and the Opposition benches over the introduction of free power to farmers in the State.
During the discussion on demand for grant for the Agriculture department, AIADMK member T Malaravan said the DMK regime in 1975 did not heed to the farmers’ agitation led by Narayanasamy Naidu to reduce the power tariff.
Intervening, Agriculture Minister Veerapandi S Arumugam said free power was introduced only in 1990 when DMK came to power for the third time. Electricity Minister Arcot N Veerasamy said free power was introduced to all categories of farmers only during the DMK regime.
AIADMK whip Sengottayan said it was during MGR’s rule that small and tiny farmers got free power and for large farmers a tariff of Rs 75 for a single HP motor was fixed. Also, for huts, a single bulb scheme was introduced and free power was supplied.
At one stage of the debate, Minister KN Nehru said free power scheme was withdrawn during the AIADMK regime. “We organised agitations against it and have even gone to jail on the issue,” he added. Later, the Deputy leader of the Opposition O Panneerselvam reiterated that it was MGR who brought in the ‘concept of free power’ in Tamil Nadu.