Power relief not until July: CM

Admits industry hit due to power shortage Govt buying power at `18 a unit Opens largest tractor factory in Asia set up by Mahindras Zaheerabad (Medak): Chief Minister Nallari Kiran Kumar Reddy admitted here on Wednesday that the industry sector had suffered a setback due to the power shortage in the State. He was addressing a meeting after inaugurating the Rs 300-crore tractor manufacturing facility established by Mahindra and Mahindra here. The chief minister said that the power shortage was a temporary phase and the problem would be solved by June or July. "Due to the shortage in rainfall, the power generation had gone down," he recalled. He said that the government was purchasing gas-based power at the rate of Rs 18 per unit. In spite of the shortfall in power generation, the government had been supplying electricity to the domestic and agriculture sectors, he said adding that the government had been bearing Rs 5,500 crore on subsidy for electricity. "The government is also extending Rs 777 crore subsidy for the industry," he said. The chief minister said that Rs 1,000 crore had been earmarked for field development to solve unemployment problem by developing industrial sector. "Already 3.8 lakh youth had been provided with employment and plans are afoot to provide employment to 15 lakh youth in the next few years," he said. He congratulated the management of Mahindra and Mahindra for establishing in the state the largest tractor manufacturing unit in Asia. He said that it was a great thing that the establishment of the tractor making unit was completed in two years. Minister for heavy industry J Geeta Reddy thanked the chief minister for giving permission to establish the factory at the backward area like Zaheerabad. She said that she had requested the management to provide employment to the local people up to 80 per cent. The minister said that biotechnology industries would be set up soon in Medak, Chittoor, Kurnool and other districts. Anand Mahindra, chairman and managing director of Mahindra Industries, thanked the chief minister for extending unstinted support to the industry. He expressed readiness to establish more industries in the state with the cooperation of the government. Minister Sunita Lakshma Reddy, Government whip Turpu Jayaprakash Reddy, MLAs Krishna Reddy, Narsa Reddy, Nandiswar Goud, MLC Bhupal Reddy DCCB chairman Jaipal Reddy, Zaheerabad MP Suresh Shetkar and others were present.