UP chief minister Akhilesh Yadav on Wednesday blamed the Congress-led UPA government for the prevailing power crisis in Uttar Pradesh.
In his first ever attack on the Congress, the chief minister said that had the Dadri power project been allowed to come up, the state would have had sufficient power for itself. The Centre, he alleged, was not helping in providing coal linkages which further aggravated the crisis.
Congress MLA Rita Bahuguna Joshi, meanwhile, responded to the chief minister’s charges and said that the UP government had failed to settle land acquisition issues with the farmers which thwarted the Dadri project.
The chief minister, who was replying to supplementary questions during Question Hour in the state Assembly, also attacked the Mayawati government for signing several MoUs in the power plant but not doing anything to set up the projects.
He said that the previous government had purchased power at high rates to meet the demand and had takes loans from banks which remain unpaid.
The chief minister, however, assured that his government would make all efforts to improve the situation without adding to the burden on farmers and domestic power consumers but indicated that power for industrial consumers may become dearer.
He also underlined the need for developing alternative sources of energy, including solar energy, and improving power management.
He said that his government would soon initiate steps in the power sector since he had to face the people in 2014.
Earlier, replying to a volley of questions by BJP and Congress MLAs, UP minister for PWD and irrigation Shivpal Singh Yadav blamed the previous BSP government for leaving behind power dues worth `7,200 crore and bank debts worth `18,000 crore. He also alleged widespread corruption in the sector during the previous regime and said that not a single MW of additional power was generated.
The BSP members protested against what they said was an attempt to mislead the house and staged a walkout, raising anti-government slogans.
The BJP also staged a walkout expressing dissatisfaction over the reply.