Metro India News | AMARAVATI

The Andhra Pradesh government is set to spend Rs.12,400 crore annually on providing free electricity and new power connections to farmers, according to Minister for Energy Gottipati Ravi Kumar. Speaking in the State Assembly, he emphasized the government’s commitment to ensuring uninterrupted daytime power supply for farmers.

Since the formation of the TDP-Jana Sena-BJP coalition government, a total of 22,709 new agricultural power connections have been sanctioned, taking the total approvals to 69,975 connections. The government is spending Rs. 2.60 lakh per connection, the minister informed the Assembly in response to questions from MLAs Battula Balarama Krishna, Ugra Narasimha Reddy, and Bandaru Satyananda Rao.

One of the coalition government’s key priorities has been to ensure a stable 9-hour daytime power supply for agricultural purposes. Minister Ravi Kumar pointed out that the PM-KUSUM scheme, which was neglected by the previous YSRCP government, had resulted in power supply issues for farmers. However, under Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu’s directive, efforts are being made to restore the scheme and provide uninterrupted power.

The government estimates that 4.5 lakh agricultural connections are needed across the state. One lakh PM-KUSUM connections have already been approved, and the Centre has assured support for an additional two lakh connections. The tender process for these connections will begin soon, ensuring long-term stability in the agricultural power supply.

Minister Ravi Kumar criticized the previous YSRCP government, accusing it of mismanaging the power sector by purchasing electric poles and transmission lines at inflated prices, causing discrepancies in costs across the three power distribution companies (DISCOMs). The coalition government has now stepped in to stabilize power equipment procurement costs and streamline the process.

To tackle low voltage and power overload issues, the government has planned to set up 70 new substations across the three DISCOMs. Additionally, efforts are underway to curb transformer theft, particularly in the districts of Palnadu, Prakasam, and Bapatla, where incidents have increased. The primary reason behind these thefts is the resale of copper wiring from transformers.

To combat this, the government is set to introduce aluminum transformers, which are less attractive to thieves. Minister Ravi Kumar also directed the police department to immediately register cases in transformer theft incidents and take strict action against offenders.

The minister assured the Assembly that ahead of the upcoming agricultural season, the government is taking proactive measures to ensure farmers face no disruptions in power supply. By addressing infrastructure issues, stabilizing equipment procurement, and implementing new security measures, the government aims to provide seamless power support to farmers across the state.