Punjab CM invites political wrath

The UPA government is not too happy with Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh's bonus on power bills to farmers in the state.

By providing an energy bonus on power bills to all farmers, the Congress government in Punjab has expanded its poll promise of free power to small and medium farmers.

Singh's largesse will cost the exchequer Rs 430 crore, which is much beyond the Rs 250 crore estimated.

"The policy was to help farmers who use 5 or 7.5 HP gensets. Now those using larger ones are also included so the policy will need discussion," said Ambika Soni, General Secretary, AICC.

For reformist Prime Minister Manmohan Singh this latest move comes as a setback.

The field is now open for other states to emulate Punjab and also some states are openly mocking at the UPA government by claiming that people in their state need quality power, not free power.

Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje, who met the PM on Saturday, said free power may make good political sense but not economic.

"In my state, unlike in Punjab, people are ready to pay, provided they get quality power. Free power does not benefit anybody. That is why we met the Prime Minister and asked for better and additional power supply," said Raje.

Source in Congress say that Amarinder Singh will now be asked to recalibrate the whole free power policy and identify who needs energy bonus and who does not.