From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network - Bangalore

Bangalore, Dec 13: Housing Minister V Somanna, who was suddenly divested of his food and civil supplies portfolio after the notice issued to him by the State Election Commssion for violation of the model poll code with his announcement on increase in the quota of rice and wheat supplies to above poverty line (APL) families under the public distribution system, on Monday claimed that he had not violated any model code of conduct for elections.

It may be recalled that Somanna had on Friday spoken about enhancing the quota of rice from 10 kg to 15 kg and wheat from 4 kg to 6 kg a month and said it would come into effect after elections to taluk and zilla panchayats.

Somanna’s portfolio was suddenly divested and he was entrusted with the Housing portfolio held by former minister Katta Subramnaya Naidu on Saturday after the State Election Commission had announced its decision of serving him a notice seeking explanation on the statement.

The Food and Civil Supplies portfolio was entrusted to Energy Minister Shobha Karandlaje as additional charge.

Somanna said: ''There is nothing new in my statement. I have only repeated the announcements made earlier. Everybody knows it. I don’t know why the State Election Commission found fault with my statement. I have held several important portfolios in the past. I am not a first-time minister."

He, however, said changing portfolios was the prerogative of the Chief Minister. ''I am grateful to the Chief Minister. I have no complaints against the Chief Minister. He has treated me with utmost respect and has never sidelined me. In fact, I have been placed in charge of two very important and sensitive districts of Tumkur and Hassan."

KERC cannot cap power purchase at Rs 4 per unit, says Shobha

Meanwhile, Energy Minister Shobha Karandlaje, who spoke to reporters separately, said the government would appeal to the Karnataka Electricity Regulatory Commission (KERC) to reconsider its order capping the power purchase at Rs 4 per unit, stating that it was significantly less than the market rates.

She said buying power at Rs 4 per unit is out of the question because the current market rates are much higher.

In fact, the state government has already signed an agreement for power purchase with Chhatisgarh government at Rs 4.60 per unit, while private producers such as Jindal are selling it at Rs 6 per unit.

She promised to discuss with KERC after elections to local bodies pointing out that there were instances of the government purchasing power at much higher rates of upto Rs 13 per unit in the past, especially during last summer.

The minister said the government would urge the KERC to reduce the proposed power tariff hike on all categories of consumers after the zilla and taluk panchayat polls in the larger interest of consumers.

The KERC has approved a hike in transmission tariff from the existing Rs 26.67 paise per unit to Rs 27.10 paise per unit.

Power plants in Bellary and Raichur have been generating power without any breaks for the past few days. All ESCOMs have been supplying single phase power for 11 hours and three-phase power for six hours for rural parts of the State.

Asked about the impact of land scams on the BJP’s performance in the coming panchayat elections, she said all scams were confined to Bangalore alone and these issues have no significance to rural folk. The party would capture 22 to 24 ZPs, she added.