• Investment World
• eWorld
• Catalyst
• Mentor
• Life
• Canvas
• Praxis
• Urban Pulse
• Brand Quest

Stocks

• Quotes
• SE Diary
• Scoreboard
• Open-End Mutual Fund

Port Info

• Ships in Ports
  
  

Archives

• Yesterday
• Datewise
• Resources

Group Sites

• The Hindu
• Business Line
• The Sportstar
• Frontline
• The Hindu eBooks
• The Hindu Images

Our Bureau

Hyderabad , March 7

AMIDST frequent media reports that the World Bank has been pressurising the State Governments such as Andhra Pradesh to do away with free power to farmers, the World Bank senior vice-president and Chief Economist, Mr Francois Bourguignon, said the World Bank is not against power supply to small and medium farmers either at subsidised rates or free of cost.

Talking to newspersons after delivering a talk on `Equity and Development' organised by the Administrative Staff College of India (ASCI) here on Monday, he said, "World Bank is not against supply of subsidised power or free power to small and medium farmers as long as such a Government policy results in generating more equity. The only concern is that such a policy should not result in crisis in the power generation and distribution system and affect the power producers." He said there were examples where several Governments have gone in for supply of free or subsidised power. Viewing that no in-depth study was available on the success of free or subsidised power supply to a section of the population, Mr Bourguignon preferred such a study and thorough evaluation so as to enable the Governments to assess their policies in the direction of ensuring equity while maintaining economic growth.

Article E-Mail :: Comment :: Syndication :: Printer Friendly Page

Stories in this Section
PM assures more funds for farm research

Copyright © 2005, The Hindu Business Line. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu Business Line