Putting speculations to rest, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M Karunanidhi today said his government had no plans to withdraw the free power scheme for farmers.

Reviewing the working of the state electricity board, he said meters for agricultural pump sets were fixed only to ascertain power saved by providing energy efficient pump sets.

He said some quarters had been indulging in a 'false propaganda' that his government contemplated to withdraw the free power scheme.

Karunanidhi in his Independence Day address had announced a scheme under which old pump sets of farmers were to be replaced with energy efficient ones for free of cost.

He instructed the officials to expedite efforts to fix energy efficient pump sets.

To meet the power shortage in the state, efforts were on to procure 600 MW from the open market, he said.

He asked the officials to take all steps to speed up efforts to commission the Vallur and Neyveli power projects to get an additional 800 MW before March 2011 and another 2500 MW by 2011-12 by expediting North Chennai, Vallur II, Mettur thermal power plants and other hydel power projects.

He asked the officials to introduce CFL lamps in all districts in a bid to save power besides constituting flying squads to eradicate power thefts.