Around 18 lakh farmers have been availing free power in the state for the last 16 years. The government measures the consumption by random meter reading and paying Rs 8,000 crore yearly to distribution companies (Discoms). Now, it has decided to fix meters for every agriculture pumpset.
The Union government has offered loans to the states that implement reforms in the power sector, but several states, including Telangana, have refused to implement them fearing adverse effects on farmers. AP has become the first state to agree for the reforms, and is all set to fix meters from December this year.
Wasteful exercise
Fixing meters to 18 lakh pumpsets will cost Rs 2,000 crore to Discoms. After this laborious exercise, the loan to be extended by the Centre is only Rs 4,000 crore. That means the net benefit for the state is only Rs 2,000 crore, that too in the form of loan.
Fixing meters for farm pumpsets does not serve any purpose as most of the farmers use submersible pumpsets. They are sunk to a depth of 100 to 200 feet while the meter is hung to a small stick in the open. They will not have any protection from rain and sun. If they soak in rain, they would not work after six months. Without taking all these factors into consideration, the government is preparing to spend Rs 2,000 crore for Rs 4,000 crore.
No state has meters
Farmers use motors in all states in the country. Some states supply power to farm sector free of cost. Some other states collect bills on the basis of horsepower of the meter. But no state has fixed meters to agriculture motors so far. Going by the speed at which the AP government is pressing ahead, it is most likely that it will fix meters to all 18 lakh farm pumpsets by this year-end.
Firm No by Telangana
Telangana has refused to fix meters even as the Centre offered Rs 2,000 crore loan. Chief Minister K Chandrasekhara Rao realized that the measure will evoke strong opposition from farmers. He also felt that the meters would not last long. As the state is successfully supplying 24 hours power to the agriculture sector, the government has seen no particular benefit from meters. Farmers’ associations are criticizing the Andhra Pradesh government for its hasty decision in favour of fixing meters for farm motors.
