Rs 132 cr burden on Govt over free power

      Raipur, September 8, 2009: Free power to the farmers would cost the state exchequer about Rs 132 crore, the Chhattisgarh Government said today.

      The cabinet today approved the proposal to provide free power to the farmers, briefing the mediapersons about the decision, Water Resources Minister Hemchand Yadav said.

     It was decided to provide free of cost electricity up to five horse power pumps to the farmers of the state, Yadav said.

     In a given year a farmer is free to use maximum 6000 units of power in his pump and for every additional unit, the farmer would have to pay rupee one per unit, he said.

     Free power to the farmers would cost the state Rs 132 crore every year, replying to a question the Minister said.