12-hour electricity daily for farmers till November

Chief minister Devendra Fadnavis announced on Tuesday that the government would supply uninterrupted electricity for 12 hours to all agriculture pumps in the state for the next three months. So far, farmers would get power supply for eight hours only. The CM’s step is said to have been taken keeping the harvest season in mind. But activists in the power sector have demanded that it should be implemented properly.

Mr Fadnavis held a meeting with energy department officials, where he instructed them to supply uninterrupted power to the agriculture pumps. Vidarbha, Marathwada and other parts of Maharashtra received comparatively less rainfall this year and the crops in these areas required sufficient water supply. Considering this situation, the CM told the officials to supply electricity for 12 hours during the daytime so that the crops can be fed with water. The 12-hour electricity supply would be given to the agriculture pumps till November

The decision, however, is going to put a burden of about Rs 3,000 crore on the government, said an official from the energy department.

At present, farmers get eight hours of electricity supplied three days a week in the morning and 10 hours of supply for another three days during the night. They do not get electricity supply for their agriculture pumps for the one day remaining in the week.

The CM has also asked the police to designate two to three police stations in each district where cases related to power theft can be registered.

Energy activist Pratap Hogade, however, said: “Farmers require water the most during October and November. If the government has assured 12-hour electricity supply, then it should ensure the same since farmers often end up getting less power supply than committed.”

Mr Hogade also ruled out that the decision would put any burden on the state exchequer.