CHENNAI: In a major relief to farmers, the Tamil Nadu Electricity Regulatory Commission has amended the Tamil Nadu Electricity Supply and Distribution Codes to simplify and ease the existing procedures to apply for agriculture service connections.
This would also help farmers in shifting service connections from one place to another and getting approval for installation of changeover switch among others. The new amendments will benefit farmers who are co-owners of agriculture wells and unable to get a consent letter from their partners. They can produce indemnity bonds in lieu of the consent, a release from the Tamil Nadu Electricity Regulatory Commission stated.
Similarly, farmers owning a minimum of 0.5 acres of land can provide an ownership certificate from a village administrative office to get a service connection. The farmers don't have to purchase pumpsets, motors and capacitors in the initial stage itself. A 30-day notice period will be provided for the applicant to report his readiness to avail the connection, the release added.
Within a survey field number or in a subdivided field number, a farmer shall be eligible to be given one agriculture service connection to each well, if they are independent and physically separated from each other and minimum extent of land to be irrigated should be 0.5 acres. Similarly, separate service connection for water pumping for non-agricultural purposes under appropriate tariff is permitted in the well or borewell having agriculture service connection.
Shifting of existing agricultural service connections is permitted from any place within the state and it will be considered irrespective of the reasons, even if the land alone is sold for non-agricultural purposes while retaining the well and service. The charges towards shifting will be borne by consumers under Deposit Contribution Works (DCW) basis, the release stated.
Meanwhile, no document is necessary other than motor or capacitor details for getting approval for installation of changeover switch, which will be accorded after inspection and sealing within 15 days of receipt of the requisition letter. If the approval is not given within the stipulated time, the applicant will make use of the changeover switch to carry out his urgent needs pending approval, the release added.