Meters only to help farmers: CM YS Jagan
Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy holding a review on energy sector at his camp office in Tadepalli on Monday. Energy Minister B Srinivas Reddy, advisors and officials are seen.
Amaravati: Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy here on Monday directed the officials to create awareness among the farmers that new electricity meters would not burden them and will in fact pave way for supplying nine-hour free power to agriculture sector during daytime.
During a review meeting on power sector here on Monday, the Chief Minister said it should be widely publicised that not a single rupee of burden will be imposed on farmers with the installation of smart meters to motors but they will give data on consumption and required load of feeders.
The data on consumption of electricity could be logged every 15 minutes with the help of meter and It will help for the hassle-free supply of nine hours power to farm sector, he said and added that the government would directly credit the money into the farmers' bank accounts for the power consumed by them, and they will pay the bills to the discoms (distribution companies).
The Chief Minister said posters should be displayed in all village secretariats on setting up of meters. The message should be clear to the farmers that installation of meters is only for uninterrupted supply of nine hours power to farmers with no additional burden. District, divisional, mandal and village level committees should conduct extensive awareness programs in this regard, he added.
The Chief Minister said high priority should be given to quality in acquiring and setting up of transformers and meters. Consult Central government agency Energy Efficiency Services Limited (EESL) if needed in this regard, he said and directed the officials to create awareness among farmers to use motors with ISI standards and also to ensure capacitors also meet ISI standards.
The officials said 14,354 linemen had been trained to create awareness among farmers on the installation of new electricity meters. The feeder capacity has been increased to 97.5 per cent and the remaining would be completed by November.
The Officials said that bid documents have been prepared for the setting up of 10,000 MW solar power plants and tenders will be called after the completion of the judicial review to which the Chief Minister directed the officials to complete the process and start the project works as soon as possible.
Minister for energy Balineni Srinivasareddy, Green Energy Corporation CMD G Sai Prasad, APTransco CMD N Srikanth, APGenco MD B Sridhar and finance principal secretary SS Rawat and other officials were present at the meeting.