Karnataka government today released a set of guidelines for farmers to become eligible for its "free power for irrigation pumps sets upto 10 HP" which included mandatory installation of electric meters to quantify power consumption".
However, the state cabinet at its meeting held here declared that the cost of the installation of meters would be borne by government and the farmers were only required to cooperate, in the wake of threat by farmers bodies against this move.
Minister for Rural Development Shobha Karandlaje told the press here that all those farmers who clear their electric dues will get the benefit of the scheme and those failing to do so could not avail of it.
The government, which is offering one more sop to those running power bill dues, said it would write off interest if the arrears were cleared.
Farmers in the state owed Rs 2,682 crore arrears to six Electricity Supply Companies and an amount of Rs 664.70 crore as interest on the dues, she said.
The arrears could be cleared in eight instalments over a period of two years, the government decided.
Those farmers who pay income tax, professional tax and employees working in state, central, aided institutions, boards and Corporations are ineligible to get free power under the scheme announced by the BJP government.
The scheme would benefit 16 lakh farmers, Karandlaje claimed.
