Electricity
Madurai: Madras high court on Tuesday sought the state’s response on a plea seeking a direction to the authorities to conduct a special audit of the collection and utilisation of Rs2,431.51 crore under the tatkal agricultural electricity connection scheme from 2021-22 onwards. He stated that RTI information disclosed that from 2021-22 onwards, 89,289 applications were registered under the tatkal scheme and Rs 2,431.51 crore was collected. Only 44,993 connections were provided, whereas 44,296 applicants are still awaiting connections.
Due to this, the poorest and most deserving applicants are relegated to the back of the queue, while comparatively affluent applicants who are able to pay obtain priority and secure connections ahead of them. A division bench of Justice C V Karthikeyan and Justice R Sakthivel sought response from the authorities while hearing a public interest litigation filed by C Selvakumar of Madurai. He stated that while eligible farmers have been waiting for years for free agricultural electricity connections, a tatkal mechanism has been operated under which applicants who pay the prescribed amount are given priority for obtaining agricultural electricity connections. Though it was publicised and administered as a free agricultural electricity connection scheme funded out of public subsidy, the tatkal mechanism requires the applicant to pay a substantial amount to secure priority. This is contrary to the very objective and spirit of the scheme meant to benefit small and marginal farmers who are precisely the class of people least likely to possess the financial capacity to pay such amounts. This defeats the underlying object of the scheme, converts a purportedly free welfare measure into a paid one in practice, and effectively diverts the benefit of the scheme away from its intended beneficiaries.
The hearing in the case was adjourned to Sept 16. You Can Also Check: Gold Rate in Madurai | Silver Rate in Madurai | Bank Holidays in Madurai | Public Holidays in Madurai | Madurai AQI | Weather in Madurai | Petrol Price in Madurai | Diesel Price in Madurai | CNG Price in Madurai | LPG Price in Madurai Stay updated with the latest Madurai news. The petitioner stated that considering the magnitude of public money involved and large number of pending applicants, an independent audit and inquiry are necessary to determine whether the scheme has been implemented strictly in accordance with law. Hence, the petitioner moved court. Download the TOI App.