PNS|Hyderabad
Agriculture Minister S. Niranjan Reddy said that this year despite the lack of rains in the Krishna River basin adequate electricity was supplied to meet demand.
The agriculture sector accounts for 35 to 40 per cent of the total electricity consumption in the state, he said. Telangana is the only state in the country where the largest percentage of electricity is used by the agriculture sector.
Niranjan said that after the provision of irrigation facilities, paddy cultivation has increased substantially in TS. Due to lack of rains this year, only 57.51 lakh acres of paddy and 44.73 lakh acres of cotton have been cultivated so far in the Kharif season. Apart from paddy, 5.28 lakh acres of maize and 4.61 lakh acres of pulses have been sown. Different crops are cultivated on 1.18 crore acres in the state, he said.
In a statement issued on Sunday, Niranjan said that farmers are cultivating crops with confidence as Chief Minister KCR has guaranteed them 24-hour free electricity supply and as underground water resources have increased.
He said that the highest demand of 14,747 MW was recorded on September 1. The electricity demand was 11,198 MW on the same day last year. Due to the mercy of Lord Varuna, the demand for electricity was 8,891 MW on September 2 and on Sunday the demand was 7,414 MW, he said.
Niranjan thanked Chief Minister KCR for providing continuous electricity supply to Telangana farmers and for encouraging the agriculture sector.
