No coal reserves, Rs 25,000 crore demanded from Centre

No option left but to do load shedding

Aurangabad, April 12:

The Central government is not giving the funds of Rs 25,000 crore and also not providing the coal reserves. Despite various schemes, farmers do not take advantage of it. In such circumstances, load shedding is inevitable, said State energy minister Nitin Raut.

He was speaking to the media at Gandhi Bhavan after the conclusion of the Phule-Bhimotsava organized by the Aurangabad City Scheduled Castes Cell on Monday. Raut also underlined that the problem of electricity has not only arisen in Maharashtra but also in many states including Gujarat. He said that we have to purchase electricity from outside as there is no power from open access. Maharashtra officials are stationed in Delhi. Rising heat has also increased electricity consumption. We are trying to minimize load shedding by taking power from outside. A control room has been set up to detect power problems. Where recovery is high, there is no load shedding. He admitted that load shedding was taking place where electricity theft was high.

Replying to a question on free electricity, he said, Punjab is ruled by the Aam Aadmi Party. I challenge them to provide free electricity there. In reply to a question, he said that former energy minister Chandrasekhar Bawankule would face inquiry. When quizzed about the conflicts in Mahavikas Aghadi, he said that this is our internal issue.