Power crisis in AP led to flight of 2000 industrial units

The main opposition in AP Assembly the YSRCP on Tuesday staged a walk out in Assembly protesting against the power tariff hike in the state to the extent of 5 percent hike.

The YSRC members said 2000 industries had gone back and withdrawn their investment proposals in AP in view of absence of quality power supply, said party MLA Ganesh Kumar. Earlier, the ruling TDP was caught off-guard, when the Opposition YSRCP attended the AP Assembly session and took the Government to task for the power tariff hike.

The YSRCP members stalled the proceedings and wanted the government to take up a discussion on the issue of power tariff hike immediately and also submitted an adjournment motion. However, Speaker disallowed the motion and wanted the house to get on with the question hour. The YSRCP MLAs began chanting slogans demanding roll back of the power tariff hike and stalled the proceedings. The Speaker had adjourned the house thrice, for ten minutes each in the two instances and for 15 minutes in the third adjournment, to bring order.

Following the adjournment, YSRCP once again requested for a discussion. The Speaker stated that a discussion would be taken up only after the CM made a statement. When the house reassembled, Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu has contended that 86 per cent of the people of Andhra Pradesh and the agro-based industries were not be affected by the tariff.

He said AP was among the lowest in power tariffs and that he had rejected the other proposals of the Electrical Regulatory Authority. Also, only those who burn beyond 200 units would be affected by the power tariff concluded the Chief Minister.