Rs 1,500 crores pledged by govt to provide more power to farmers: Siddaramaiah

NT Correspondent

Bengaluru: Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said that the power shortage in the state was down to an increase in demand, pledging an additional Rs 1,500 crores to increase the duration of the electricity supply to farmers.

He made the comments after an Energy Department review meeting, which was attended by the Energy Minister KJ George, high ranking Energy Department officials, Political Secretary to the CM Naseer Ahmed and Chief Secretary Vandita Sharma, among others.

The CM claimed that farmers had been getting five hours of electricity supply for their pump sets so as to irrigate their fields but they would now try to provide two additional hours of power in the near future.

“It was decided in today's meeting to provide electricity for seven hours every day. The state may require additional Rs. 1500 crores for this purpose. This expenditure will be met by savings in grants and reallocation of funds,” Siddaramaiah said.

Justifying the State government’s handling of the power shortage, the CM said that the scarcity was down to the drought which meant less water in reservoirs, adding that there had been an increase in demand due to a post-pandemic economic recovery.

“Agricultural usage has gone up to 119 per cent from 55 per cent. The percentage of usage has increased from 9 to 14 per cent in other sectors. This increase is due to lack of rain, early usage of IP sets and economic recovery post Covid 19,” he said.

“Production of Raichur and Bellary thermal power plants has increased since the last progress review meeting. Electricity is being procured from Uttar Pradesh, Punjab and Himachal Pradesh. Under Section 11, orders are issued not to supply electricity to other states, and electricity is being procured. In this way, the power distribution has come back to normal. Nodal officials are constantly monitoring the situation,” he added.

Siddaramaiah said that next year power supply to farmers would be sourced from solar sources, adding that wheels were in motion as the tender process had been started.