Activists of Karnataka Prantha Raitha Sangha (KPRS) staged a demonstration outside the headquarters of Gulbarga Electricity Supply Company Limited (GESCOM) in Kalaburagi on Tuesday demanding that the Karnataka Electricity Regulatory Commission (KERC) circular on linking Aadhaar with irrigation pumpsets of below 10 HP within six months, be withdrawn.
Speaking at the agitation site, district president of KPRS Sharanabasappa Mamshetty condemned the KERC for issuing a warning to farmers that subsidy will be withheld if they fail to link Aadhaar with irrigation pumpsets.
“Agriculture is already in crisis. Farmers are in trouble with mounting debts. Such measures naturally increase their fears of new troubles and bring their confidence down. Land and water are basic needs of farmers. The State cannot escape from its duty of providing farmers with these two basic requirements,” Mr. Mamshetty said.
Suspecting the Congress government of having an ill intention in getting a circular issued seeking linkage of Aadhaar with irrigation pumpsets, Mr. Mamshetty said that the very purpose of linking Aadhaar with farm pumpsets is to bring pumpsets into the ambit of Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT).
“We have all seen the fate of LPG subsidy that has been brought under DBT. Poor consumers are forced to buy LPG at market price and then wait for the government’s little subsidy amount to be deposited in their bank accounts. These days, LPG subsidy is almost nil. The same will happen to irrigation pumpsets, if they are brought under DBT. The linking of farm Aadhaar with irrigation pumpsets is an attempt to bring them under DBT,” Mr. Mamshetty said.
The agitating activists also opposed the power tariff hike and the replacement of a multi-slab system with a two-slab system for calculating the total amount of bills for domestic consumption.
“The power tariff hike by 70 paise per unit and the replacement of the rational multi-slab system with the two-slab system has resulted in an unreasonable increase in bill amount. Those who consume more than 100 units of power in a month will have to pay ₹7 per unit for all the units consumed. It is unacceptable,” he said.
The activists later submitted a memorandum, addressed to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, to the office of GESCOM Managing Director.
KPRS leaders Saibanna Guduba, Shubhash Hosamani, M.B. Sajjan, Rayappa Huramunji, Revanasiddappa Makaramba, Revanasiddappa Policepatil and others were present.
