The Hindu Business Line : AP unfazed by World Bank remarks on free power

THE Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister, Dr Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy, said that "there is nothing new" in the World Bank officials statement in New Delhi that free power for agriculture sector was not a "good idea".

"The World Bank generally is not in favour of free power but we can't close our eyes to the distress of farmers. Everybody has to see the reason in this regard. I think the World Bank will also see the reason," he said in an informal chat with newspersons on the sidelines of the District Collectors Conference here on Saturday.

As per the contention that provision of free power would lead to over exploitation of groundwater by farmers, he said that the State Government was aware of this problem and hence was promoting micro irrigation on a large scale to prevent depletion of the ground water table. With regard to the World Bank's decision to review some of its lending programmes in the State, the Chief Minister said that the bank would be funding irrigation and poverty alleviation programmes.

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