Telangana State has achieved the distinction of being the first in the country to provide 24-hour free electricity to the farmers.
Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao declared this while making a statement in the Assembly on Wednesday in the wake of the government embarking on the free power supply round-the-clock for the farmers in the State on an experimental basis for a few days. As a matter of fact, such a facility was already being implemented in the three old districts of Medak, Karimnagar and Nalgonda districts.
Lamenting that the farmers were put to untold hardships for electricity needs in the past, KCR said after TRS took the reins of the administration in the new State of Telangana, every effort was made to mitigate the problems being faced by the farming community for power needs. The Chief Minister said his government has taken all required steps to ensure 24-hour power supply to 23-lakh pump sets of the farmers from the coming summer season. Earlier Telangana faced power deficit of 2700 MW. However, the present government has ensured that the State came out of darkness into bright light, he observed.
KCR said all the required measures were being taken for strengthening the distribution and supply systems in the power sector. High tension power lines were being improved and strengthened in tune with the increased electricity demand. As a matter of fact, power corporations are ready to supply 11000 MW. What is more, due to the initiative taken by the Telangana State, the work on laying new power lines between the North and South Power Grids were going on, he explained and added that this would enable us to meet the power needs from anywhere.
The Chief Minister said the farmers were being advised to remove auto starters to protect the groundwater. Steps have also been initiated for increasing the number of sub-stations on par with the new power plants being planned. A power plant with a capacity of 4000 MW is being taken up at Yadadri. The execution of these power projects are being given to BHEL. Pointing out that with 2792 MW solar energy output, the State has occupied the No 1 position in the country, he declared and said endeavor of the State government was to ensure that Telangana would become a power-surplus State in the country. (NSS)