PNS|Vijayawada
On the occasion of Sankranti, which is the festival of farmers, Minister Peddireddy Ramachandra Reddy held a review meeting with power sector officials on the general power supply position in the State, particularly the agriculture sector.
He directed the officials to strictly implement the nine-hour free power scheme for farmers in the next 25 years in order to make agriculture a profitable activity and empower farmers.
The Minister said that Andhra Pradesh has taken a bold and wise decision to procure power from SECI (Solar Energy Corporation of India) to the tune of 7000 MW at a cost-effective rate of Rs 2.49 per unit. The State government has given guarantees for reliable power supply to farmers for the next 25 years. The SECI will start supplying 3,000 MW from September 2024 in the first tranche, 3000 MW from September 2025 in the second tranche, and 1000 MW from September 2026 in the third tranche.
“The government wants to make the free power scheme permanent to support farmers in the future and is also implementing initiatives such as power supply to aquaculture at a subsidised price, financial support, and the Rythu Bharosa. These initiatives will bring a great change in rural areas and the lives of farmers. The Chief Minister Y S Jaganmohan Reddy strongly believes in the fact that the State would move towards progress only if the farmers are happy” the energy minister said.
Special Chief Secretary Energy, K Vijayanand informed that the State government is implementing a direct benefit transfer(DBT) scheme for agricultural connections and installation of energy meters in order to improve the performance of DISCOMs and strengthen quality power supply to the agriculture sector. As of now, the DISCOMs are supplying 12000 Million units per annum to agriculture for which the government is bearing the subsidy ofRs 8400 Crore per annum.
Power sector officials explained to the Energy Minister that 6652 feeders out of 6,770 feeders are capable of supplying 9 hrs day time agricultural power supply with existing infrastructure while the remaining 118 feeders need augmentation of infrastructure to cater to the needs of supplying 9 hrs during daytime.
MD APGENCO, B Sreedhar, JMD APTRANSCO, I PrudhviTej, CMDs of DISCOMs J Padma Janardhana Reddy and K Santosha Rao, and other senior officials have participated.
