Telangana farmers worry about power cuts

Is Telangana's system of providing farmers with constant access to electricity dwindling in importance?

The unpredictable power supply is becoming a big concern for farmers in various districts across the state, even during the crucial Yasangi season, according to their complaints. Many regions experience power outages that last four or five hours and occur primarily in the evenings.

Tirupati Goud, a farmer from Nagaram said “There is no stipulated schedule for the power supply disruption. The power cuts usually commence at 5 pm and can continue till 10 pm or 11 pm. The next day,it could be from 6 pm to midnight.”

The power outages are impacting the agricultural sector; the domestic sector has not yet voiced any complaints about this. Meanwhile, this Yasangi season's yield has the farmers on edge. Just over a month has passed since paddy transplantation, and with another 60 to 80 days until harvest, concerns about the effects of the unpredictable power supply are growing.

Along with power outages and water scarcity for irrigation, farmers are reportedly worried about something else that could materialize soon- the rising cost of inputs, which has been worsened by pest infestations. The farmers in the Dubbak mandal of Siddipet, specifically in the villages of Nagaram and Pothireddypet are worried that rising input costs and four- to five-hour power outages in the evenings will put them in debt traps this year.