In view of the acute power shortage in the state, the Democratic Front government in Maharashtra on Tuesday decided to discontinue its pre-poll promise of providing free power to farmers.

Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh announced this after a state cabinet meeting.

The Maharastra government has decided to stop free power to farmers from June 1, 2005. Experts say free power to farmers has resulted in a major power shortage in the state and also cost the state government close to Rs 1,200 crore (Rs 12 billion) towards subsidising power for farmers.