UGC experts oppose free power to farmers

Varinder Walia
Tribune News Service

Amritsar, February 16
Scholars from various universities today called upon civil society to enlighten people that populist measure of providing free of charge power to agriculture was in no body's interest, including the farmers.

Addressing UGC seminar on 'Social and Physical Infrastructure in Punjab': Status and Implications for Development', the scholars said instead of free power , the government should supply quality education and health facilities, particularly in the rural areas, instead for overall development of the state. They emphasised on human development, to build strong foundation for economic development, especially with respect to development of industrial and service sectors.

Organised by Punjab School of Economics, Guru Nanak Dev University under the Special Assistance Programme of the UGC, the seminar concluded with set of recommendations for paradigm shift in the development strategy of Punjab. The scholars were of the view as the high level of quantitative development of social and physical infrastructure in the state had not translated into high rate of growth, therefore, more emphasis should be on qualitative improvement of infrastructure.

If unbundling of the Punjab State Electricity Board is to be made successful, basic issues concerning free supply of electricity to agriculture, meterisation , theft, introduction of business principles and unwarranted interference of the state government should be addressed, so that the new electricity corporations are able to deliver efficiently and do not become mere cosmetic change.