Emphasis on free farm connections, solar push & filling vacant jobs: Minister Gottipati Ravi Kumar
VIJAYAWADA: Energy Minister Gottipati Ravi Kumar on Friday informed the Assembly that the State currently has 22,30,703 free agricultural electricity connections and the government is taking steps to expand supply and strengthen the power sector.
Replying to a question raised by MLA Konathala Ramakrishna during Question Hour, the Minister said that after the coalition government led by Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu assumed office, 1,02,538 new free agricultural electricity connections were sanctioned across the three DISCOMs. Around 46,000 applications are still pending and all of them will be cleared before the next agricultural season, he assured. During the financial year 2025–26, the three DISCOMs have spent Rs 839.44 crore towards providing free power to farmers. Under the PM-KUSUM scheme, 2,61,481 agricultural power connections have been sanctioned in the State so far.
The Minister said feeder-level solar projects are expected to reduce the government’s power purchase cost by about Rs 1,059 crore.
In a separate reply in the Assembly, the Minister also announced that vacant posts in Andhra Pradesh Eastern Power Distribution Company Limited will be filled soon. Responding to a question raised by MLA Bandaru Satyananda Rao, he said 2,947 posts are currently vacant in APEPDCL.
He explained that the vacancies include 581 Energy Assistants, 1,260 Junior Linemen, 1,084 Assistant Linemen and 22 Linemen posts, and recruitment will be taken up at the earliest. To maintain field operations and avoid inconvenience to consumers, 8,770 outsourcing personnel are presently working in various roles.
The government is also ensuring that there is no shortage of Assistant Engineers and linemen in the power sector.