The dismal power situation in the State led to walkouts in the Uttar Pradesh Assembly even as the Chief Minister, Mr Akhilesh Yadav, accused the Congress-led Central Government of not co-operating in tiding over the crisis.

In reply to supplementaries on a question related to power, Mr Yadav, who also holds the power portfolio, said that though a number of memoranda of understanding were signed during the previous Government, not a single unit was set up and alleged serious irregularities in the Department.

The Chief Minister said that power was bought at higher rates to meet the demand which has led to debt and banks were also not giving loans.

He, however, assured that his Government would not let the common people and farmers suffer on this count and only the rates for big industrial units would be raised.

If required alternative sources of energy would also be tapped besides improving generation, distribution and cutting line losses, he said.

Mr Yadav said that concrete steps would be undertaken in this sector as the Government would have to face the public in 2014 and also in 2017.

He, however, regretted that the Centre had not helped in providing coal linkages which were essential and blamed the Congress for stalling the Dadri project (started in the previous Samajwadi Party Government) which, if completed, would have solved the problem.

Earlier, replying to a question by BJP and Congress MLAs, the Minister for PWD and Irrigation, Mr Shivpal Singh Yadav blamed the previous BSP Government for buying power to meet the demand at higher rates and leaving behind a debt of Rs 25,000 crore.

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