Top priority to nine-hour free power supply to farm sector, says Balineni

Energy Minister Balineni Srinivasa Reddy has mentioned that utmost priority is being accorded to supplying power to the agriculture sector for 9 hours throughout day time to give a lift to the agricultural financial system.

The final goal was to create a strong power sector by strengthening the power utilities and make Andhra Pradesh a vacation spot for cost-effective power, Mr. Srinivasa Reddy mentioned in a launch on Friday.

The authorities sanctioned ₹1,700 crore for upgrading the agriculture feeders in tune with the significance given to the nine-hour free supply, he mentioned.

AP-Transco had undertaken infrastructure improvement works for higher implementation of the scheme, the Minister mentioned, and added that the federal government meant to make free power to the farmers a everlasting scheme.

Solar plant

Mr. Srinivasa Reddy additional mentioned that the federal government was within the course of of building a ten,000 MW photo voltaic power plant to completely cater to agriculture.

“The government is spending ₹8,354 crore on the free power scheme that will benefit 18.50 lakh agriculture connections. This apart, ₹718 crore is being provided for supplying power at subsidised rates to the aqua farmers,” he mentioned.

Besides, the federal government launched 65,565 new agriculture connections in 2019-20.

As a part of the efforts to enhance the precarious funds of the distribution corporations (Discoms), the federal government launched ₹17,904 crore in 2019-20 in direction of clearing their subsidy arrears.

Out of subsidy arrears of ₹13,391 crore pending as on March 31, 2019, the federal government launched ₹8,655 crore in 2019-20 and ₹9,249 crore in direction of subsidy introduced in 2019-20 and different fees.