Telangana is all set to achieve the commendable feat of ensuring 24×7 uninterrupted, free supply of electricity to farmers from next year onwards. Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao has praised the state’s electricity organisations for rendering remarkable services by pulling the state out of a power crisis and for supplying 24×7 uninterrupted and quality power to all sectors now. Compared to other states in the country, Telangana is a step forward in generation, distribution and supply of power.
At a meeting the Chief Minister held here with electricity officials on 18 November 2017, he congratulated the electricity staff, employees and workers who could make this possible by “working day in and day out wholeheartedly”. He suggested that besides providing 24×7 uninterrupted and free power supply to farmers from next year onwards, a perfect action plan should be made and implemented for all the Lift Irrigation Schemes, Mission Bhagiratha and for the new industries. The CM said that the officers concerned should start preparing plans keeping in view the estimates and surge in demand for the Lift Irrigation Schemes and the new industries. He said that Telangana has got a good name due to the services rendered by the electricity employees and they “should work with the same spirit and supply quality and uninterrupted power supply in future too”.
Minister for Energy Jagadish Reddy, Transco and Genco CMD D. Prabhakar Rao, the government’s chief advisor Rajiv Sharma, Special Chief Secretary Ajay Mishra, DGP M. Mahender Reddy, Transco JMD Srinivas Rao, SPDCL CMD Sri Raghuma Reddy, NPDPCL CMD Gopal Rao, directors of the four institutions, and about 100 officials were present at the meeting. The main discussion of the meeting was around supplying 24-hour quality and uninterrupted power to the farm sector from 1 January 2018.
“New Lift Irrigation Schemes are coming up on the Godavari. Besides major Lift Irrigation projects like Kaleshwaram, Devadula, Sitarama projects, minor Lift Irrigation schemes Gudem, Sripada, Yellampally are also coming up. On Krishna, schemes like Dindi, and Palamuru-Rangareddy are coming up. Based on this, prepare estimates on the demand for power supply. Besides the Lift Irrigation Schemes, power supply is also required for 1,300 pump sets under Mission Bhagiratha. For Mission Bhagiratha and Lift Irrigation Schemes, there will be an additional demand for 10-12,000 MWs. This required power should be procured and distribution and supply network should be strengthened,” the Chief Minister said.
“We have to provide uninterrupted power for 23 lakh pump sets in the state from 1 January 2018. There are unauthorised pump sets too. There will be more demand for pump sets during the summer. It is very important and prestigious for the government to supply 24-hour power supply. Take this matter into consideration,” the CM said.
“Divide power supply into five categories. Agriculture, Lift Irrigation-Mission Bhagiratha, commercial, domestic and industrial. Treat these categories individually and prepare estimates on how much will be the demand for each category. There will be a substantial increase in demand for these five categories. Along with growth in the commercial and domestic categories, there will be a lot of increase in demand for agriculture and Lift Irrigation Schemes. With this, there will be major changes in the power supply,” the CM explained.
“Several economists felt that it is not good to give more subsidy on power to the farming sector. But I did not agree with them. To give 24-hour free power supply to the farm sector, the subsidy is increased from Rs 4,777 crore to Rs 5,400 crore. If need be, we are ready to give another Rs 500 crore. The government is also bearing Rs 10,000 crore required for the Lift Irrigation Schemes. With the subsidies given to the farmers, agricultural produce worth lakhs of crores will be generated. It will change the farmers’ situation and this will also help the GDP,” the CM said.
Officials told the CM that they are keeping the rolling stock of the transformers in all the old district headquarters and every substation has a transformer. Whenever a transformer breaks down, another is replaced within 24 hours. The Chief Minister said: “We were very backward in the power sector when the state was formed. Now, we are giving 24-hour power supply to all the sectors and from 1 January, farmers will get 24-hour power supply. This is not a simple matter, but a great victory! I will congratulate all the electricity institutions employees, staff and workers. I congratulate each and every employee for toiling hard day and night to achieve this. The government will stand by you and will be liberal in giving you the promotions and other related issues.”