Telangana will not implement power reforms at any cost: KCR

Hyderabad, Feb 11 (IANS) Telangana Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao on Friday made it clear that the state will not implement power reforms being pushed by the Centre and declared that even if he is killed, he will not accept installing meters for electricity connections to the agriculture sector.

He flayed the Narendra Modi-led Central government for pressurising the state to implement power reforms by linking it to subsidies and by refusing to procure paddy and threatening the state with a smear campaign through social media.

Addressing a public meeting in Jangaon, he said in the name of power reforms, the Modi government was trying to fix meters to electricity connections to agriculture pumpsets. "Even if you kill me, I will not install meters," he said.

The Chief Minister said Telangana has 30 lakh borewells, the highest in any state in the country. Stating that his government took several steps to improve the ground water table and was providing 24-hour free electricity to farmers, he said the Central government was creating new hurdles for the state which was marching ahead with all-round progress in a short span of eight years.

KCR, as Rao is popularly known, asked BJP not to forget what happened when Chandrababu Naidu as the Chief Minister of then undivided Andhra Pradesh wanted to fix meters to agriculture connections.

Slamming the Centre for anti-farmer policies, he said Narendra Modi promised to double the income of farmers but instead doubled the cost of agriculture by increasing prices of diesel, fertilisers and other inputs.

He claimed that for eight years, the state did not pick up any fight with the Centre and despite not receiving any help from the Centre, solved its problems by ensuring water for irrigation and drinking purposes, overcoming electricity shortage and extending all help to farmers under Rythu Bandhu.

The Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) chief claimed the Centre went back on its commitments and ignored all the demands of Telangana.

He alleged that the Modi government not only adopted anti-farmer and anti-poor policies but helped those who looted lakhs of crores to escape the country.

KCR also told the people that if necessary he would impact the national politics by playing a key role. "With your support and blessings, we will demolish the Delhi fort," he said.

Referring to the attack on a TRS leader by BJP men in Jangaon, the Chief Minister warned the saffron party of serious consequences for any physical attack.