MP farmer bows to collector for power connection

Madhya Pradesh Cooperatives Minister Govind Singh on Sunday took a grim view of an episode in which a farmer here had to bow his head at the feet of the district collector to get an electricity connection under the Chief Minister's Krishak Anudan Yojana.

The farmer, Ajit Jatav, from Shivpuri's Kolaras tehsil under Rannod area, had deposited the money over four months back with the administration for providing power connection to a transformer that he had installed. 

Unable to get the connection, the farmer went to the district collector Anugrah P. bowing to her and placing his head to the collector's feet in a gesture of helplessness. 

The video of the incident went viral, forcing the district administration to provide him electricity connection for his 5 HP pump on Sunday. 

Electricity Department General Manager R.K. Agrawal confirmed that the farmer has received the connection.

The video clip of the incident shows a farmer standing and weeping, holding a clump of his destroyed crop, saying he had not been able to get the transformer's connection despite depositing a fee for it. The farmer is shown appealing to the collector exiting her office: "Behen-ji meri sun jao (please listen to me)." But the Collector apparently ignores him and sits in her car. 

A leader is shown informing the Collector about the shortage of irrigation water. The Collector assures the farmer of an inquiry and drives away.

State Cooperatives Minister Govind Singh has taken cognizance of the episode, saying he will inform Chief Minister Kamal Nath about it. "Farmers are the priority of the government. We will ensure they are not put to any difficulty," he said. - IANS