Fwd: Fw: [IHRO] Re : ‘Put power subsidy fund to better use’

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Ashok T. Jaisinghani <ashokjai@sancharnet.in>
Date: Fri, Dec 31, 2010 at 6:22 PM
Subject: Fw: [IHRO] Re : 'Put power subsidy fund to better use'

Free Electricity is Stolen by Leaders

 

    The free supply of electricity in Punjab is not really benefiting the common farmers of that state. If they are lucky, some farmers may get the free electricity for just a couple of hours on some days. Unless they pay huge bribes regularly, the ordinary farmers cannot get a supply of electricity every day for operating the water pumps on their farms.

 

    Most of the free electricity is just secretly diverted and stolen on a massive scale by the rich and powerful politicians, bureaucrats and their relatives. The politicians, bureaucrats and their relatives can make massive profits by running their own factories, hotels, cinemas, malls and other business enterprises, besides operating the water pumps on their huge farms, as they know how to steal the free electricity, which is meant for the poor farmers.

 

    Even when the corrupt political leaders and bureaucrats supply electricity to the farmers, they can still make a lot of money from the bribes they extract from most of the poor fellows. That is one of the ways by which they have made the Government of Punjab become bankrupt.

 

    Even though Punjab is becoming more and more debt-ridden because of massive corruption, the politicians, bureaucrats and their relatives are becoming multimillionaires and billionaires. Punjab has become bankrupt due to the massive fraud, but the leaders, bureaucrats and their cronies are extremely happy as they are enriching and fattening themselves at a huge cost to the common people.

 

    Punjab was the richest state of India in the past, but it is not surprising that due to corruption the Government of Punjab now has no funds for building new power plants, even though the state is suffering due to a massive shortage of electricity.

 

   Ashok  T. Jaisinghani.
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www.Wonder-Cures.com
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Sent: 30 Dec 2010 2:23 PM

Subject: [IHRO] Re : 'Put power subsidy fund to better use'

 

'Put power subsidy fund to better use'   Sanjeev Singh Bariana/TNS Chandigarh, December 29 Punjab can use the sum of around Rs 2,500 crores, which it spends on power subsidy, for better inputs in different arenas of the state economy, according to Dr Montek Singh Ahluwalia, Deputy Chairman of the Planning Commission. He said this while addressing the valedictory function of the 93rd annual conference of the Indian Economic Association at Panjab University here today. Clearly not in favour of the subsidy, he said, "The sop on power subsidy did not translate into a very positive result for the state economy. The issue needs to be studied in detail to understand the implications of expenditure and possible gains in other areas from the money spent on the free sop." He said, "The economy should be working on rationalising charges on oil and even water. Water is highly undercharged in our country as a result of which people don't realise its true value. It was worth considering levying a heavier tax on water in Punjab, particularly in cases where it is used for irrigating paddy, which was not a local crop." Dr Ahluwalia also talked about rationalising oil prices. "Not increasing the prices when the economy demanded a hike never helped the consumer. The load of increased amount was shifted to the oil companies or the government that compensated the companies. The entire economy was affected, thus affecting the common man'slife, as well," he added. Dr Ahluwalia said, "Punjab is not utilising its full potential. The state, which was among the leading states at a time, lags behind even the national figure now. It needs to ascertain from the industry about the need of the hour for giving impetus to new investments." Punjab needs to make special efforts on modernising agricultural marketing. He hinted that "certain vested interests" coupled with "outdated legislations" were stopping modernisation of agricultural marketing in the state. The field has huge potential to benefit a common farmer. It should consider separating all horticulture produce from the agriculture bracket. "Pegged at 7.7 per cent in the current decade, the growth rate of our country is definitely among the top growing economies in the world. History shows that leading economies had dropped heavily in earlier times. In order to avoid a repeat of that here, we need to plan ahead. In fact, we need to exercise caution for future planning," he added. Dr Ahluwalia made a mention of certain steps like a special cess on the use of electricity for agriculture. He said that money could be spent exclusively on recharging the ground water table. Diesel prices needed to be aligned with the global prices because it had a direct impact on the overall economy. Price hike could only be delayed, but never ignored. http://www.tribuneindia.com/2010/20101230/nation.htm#9

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