Meters to pumpsets only for assessment: Kakani

Nellore: Agriculture minister Kakani Govardhan Reddy rejected the allegations of opposition on fixing meters to agriculture power connections saying the government was fixing meters only for accountability and assessing load for future support to the farmers for supplying quality power.

Addressing the media at his camp office here on Friday, the minister said the government wants to assess how much load is required for installing transformers and other infrastructure and how many farmers are utilising nine-hour daytime free power supply. He said TDP leaders were making these routine assessment procedures complicated by creating confusion among farmers.

Stating that this government works for the welfare of the farmers, he said ministers and government officials will communicate with farmers through RBKs, agriculture staff, Sachivalayam offices and volunteers on the issue.

Govardhan Reddy said the government will open dedicated bank accounts for power supply in the name of farmers that will receive money from the government for power charges.

He made it clear that no agriculture connection will be disconnected. The power bill amount would be paid to the discoms as soon as bills are generated, the minister assured.

The agriculture minister informed that the government had cleared power dues of Rs 9,000 crore which were left unpaid by the previous TDP government. Jagan Mohan Reddy government had started supplying quality power to the farming sector additionally providing infrastructure worth Rs 1,700 crore, he said.

He said farmers in the state are enjoying nine-hour free power during daytime and still the opposition is levelling false allegations on the government.