Powerless budget, nightmare summer

Powerless budget, nightmare summer
While the budget has allocated Rs 3,983.82 crore for the power sector, it has little to offer for tackling power cuts that are increasing by the day
BANGALORE MIRROR BUREAU


Though Bangalore’s appetite for power will grow this summer, the Budget
remained mum on immediate strategies to tide over the crisis. Instead, it focused on projects already approved and those that are yet to take off.
PROMISES CAPACITY
Presenting the Budget, Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa said, “An additional capital support of Rs 500 crore is being given to Karnataka Power Corporation Ltd for implementing projects. As a result of these projects, it will be possible for the government to fulfill the assurance to create additional capacity of 5,000 mega watts by 2013.”
Although the chief minister said that the government would buy additional power from other states, he did not specify any details. Predictably, businesses and consumers are disappointed and keeping their fingers crossed on the power scenario.
CHAMBER FUMES
Federation of Karnataka Chamber of Commerce and Industry (FKCCI) President D Murlidhar said, “The CM has only spoken about long-term plans for the state and not about the immediate future, which seems to be posing a greater challenge. They have not identified any short-term solutions. We are keeping our fingers crossed at with summer months approaching. The slowdown has come as a boon as power requirement is less as production has fallen.”
Coming down heavily on the lack of solutions for the crisis, FKCCI’s Energy Committee Chairman M G Prabhakar said, “There will be no problem of power if there is no power! The CM is making empty promises and this is not the right approach for tackling power shortage. We need to find solutions for short-term problems along with pursuing long-term plans.”
SO DO CONSUMERS
The lack of government initiative came in for severe criticism from Federation of Jayanagar Residents’ Associations President K V Bhaskar Murthy. “The government need to address current problems first. The energy minister says there will be no power cut on one day and the very next day imposes power cuts,” he said.