Sonia expresses concern over scarcity of power and fertilisers for UP farmers

United Progressive Alliance chairperson Sonia Gandhi today expressed concern over shortage of power supply and fertilisers for farmers of Uttar Pradesh.

Rae Bareli (UP), Dec 18 : United Progressive Alliance chairperson Sonia Gandhi today expressed concern over shortage of power supply and fertilisers for farmers of Uttar Pradesh.

"I have been told that Rai Barelli is badly affected with Diammonium phosphate (DAP)," Sonia said while addressing a rally here.

She also pointed out that the Central government had released full UP quota "without any discrimination. Yet Rai Barelli farmers were not getting DAP."

"It was basically the distribution problem," she added.

Despite installation of a 220 KV sub power station under the Rajeev Gandhi rural electrification scheme, "farmers are still suffering" from power shortage, Sonia said.

Sonia visited her parliamentary constituency, Rai Barelli, and inspected progress in repair work at the Sharda Canal, which runs through a major part of central UP.

"I am happy to see the repair and remodelling work at Sharda Canal is progressing with speed. I am sure that farmers of the area will soon benefit from the canal, " she said.

Union Water Resource Minister Saifuddin Soz accompanied Sonia.

Soz declared that the Central Government would give additional Rs. 270 crores for the repair and maintenance of the canal.

ANI