VIJAYAWADA: The Energy department has set a target to provide 50,000 more new agriculture connections in the next two months as part of its initiative to extend nine-hour free power supply to farmers. Once given, the total number of agriculture connections in the State will increase to 18 lakh.
According to a statement issued by the department on Sunday, Energy Minister Balineni Srinivasa Reddy said that the free power scheme has empowered farmers as it has given them confidence to take up cultivation. He said that 25,000 new connections were given in the past few months and that 50,000 more would be given by March. "As of now, free power supply is being given to 80 per cent of feeders," he added.
Out of total 6,663 agriculture feeders in the State, around 5,200 are capable of supplying free power to agriculture post augmentation. "The government wants to make free power a permanent scheme to support farmers in future. Initiatives like this will bring a great change in rural areas and lives of rural people," Reddy said.
On the occasion, the officials informed the minister that farmers from Anantapur and Chittoor are urging that the government should consider supplying free power in two spells as stable groundwater may not be available. If the same is supplied in two spells, the time interval may help recharge groundwater in districts.