O. Pannerselvam criticises DMK government for installation of meters for new farm connections

‘There is an apprehension among the farmers that the installation of meters is being carried out to collect consumption charges in the future’

AIADMK coordinator O. Panneerselvam on Tuesday criticised the DMK government for allowing the installation of meters for new electricity connections being given to farmers.

Expressing shock over the move, Mr. Panneerselvam, in a statement, recalled that the DMK had criticised a similar move when the AIADMK was in power during 2001-06. While participating in a debate in April 2002 on the Budget for 2002-03, E.V. Velu, then a legislator and now Minister for Public Works and Highways, questioned the need for installing the meters when agriculturists were enjoying the Free Power Supply Scheme. Responding to his point, the then Chief Minister Jayalalithaa made it clear that the scheme would continue. However, the installation of the meters was to ascertain electricity consumption by the farm sector. Yet, the DMK and other Opposition parties had organised agitations to settle political scores.

When the Central Government released the draft of the Electricity Act in 2020, the then Leader of Opposition (LOP) [now Chief Minister M.K. Stalin] had termed it a move to scrap the Free Power Supply Scheme of 100 units bi-monthly to domestic connections and came down heavily on the previous AIADMK regime. “With the then LOP being Chief Minister now, the DMK is implementing all that it had opposed while in the Opposition,” the AIADMK leader said.