RAJAMAHENDRAVARAM: In a first-of-its-kind move in Andhra Pradesh, the State government issued GO 57, providing eligible aqua farmers electricity at Rs 1.50 per unit without zone, non-zone or 10-acre ceiling restrictions. The government released the order at a public meeting attended by thousands of aqua farmers in Palakollu on Tuesday.
Agriculture Minister Kinjarapu Atchannaidu said the coalition government had fulfilled another key election promise to aqua farmers under the leadership of Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu and Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan, with the blessings of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
He described aquaculture as the Chief Minister’s “brainchild” and said Andhra Pradesh would be developed as a role model in the blue economy.
Energy Minister Gottipati Ravikumar said the subsidy would provide major relief to aqua farmers. He said the State government had not increased power tariffs for two years and had decided not to impose true-up charges on consumers. He said the government was providing free power to nearly 22 lakh farmers.