TRICHY: Terming the explanation of chief minister J Jayalalithaa for not joining the central government’s Ujwal Discom Assurance Yojana (UDAY) baseless and false, Union power minister Piyush Goyal on Wednesday said the arrogance of the Tamil Nadu government prevented the people in the state from being benefited by the scheme.
“Despite our efforts, the Tamil Nadu government has not bothered about joining the scheme for cheap LED bulbs. Under the scheme, LED bulbs are available at affordable prices. This can reduce the electricity bill of every home in Tamil Nadu. Everybody’s electricity bill will be reduced,” Goyal said while addressing a press meet in Trichy with BJP president Amit Shah.
Goyal and Shah were in Trichy as part of BJP’s campaign for the May 16 assembly election in Tamil Nadu.
“UDAY alone will save Rs 22,000 crore of Tamil Nadu people in the next three years. However, the arrogance of the state government did not allow the scheme to reach the people. In every respect, the so-called explanation of the honourable chief minister is baseless and false,” he said.
Criticising the AIADMK government for not accepting the scheme, the Union power minister said a central team explained to the state government about the benefits of the scheme.
“I sent a team to Tamil Nadu headed by joint secretary and additional secretary of ministry of power to explain how it will help the people of Tamil Nadu. Every single concern was addressed by the team. In one meeting where the power minister came and discussed UDAY, we explained in detail how it would help the state. After that I got no opportunity to meet the chief minister,” he said.
It may be recalled that chief minister J Jayalalithaa, while addressing a public meeting at Vridhachalam in Cuddalore on Monday, said the scheme would benefit private power enterprises and banks while it would be detrimental to the state government and general public.
