VIJAYAWADA: Energy Minister Gottipati Ravi Kumar has noted that the present government granted 22,709 agricultural electricity connections out of the total 69,975 connections it approved thus far.He said the government spent Rs 2.60 lakh per agricultural electricity connection.“In line with the CM’s belief that a prosperous farmer makes a prosperous state, the coalition government is implementing the agricultural free electricity scheme to ensure that farmers face no difficulties,” he said.The minister was responding to questions from members of the legislative assembly, including G Balarama Krishna, Ugra Narasimha Reddy and Bandaru Satyanand Rao during the assembly session on Monday.Ravi Kumar said the state government invests over Rs 12,400 crores annually on agricultural electricity connections and free electricity.Regarding discrepancies in equipment pricing at different DISCOMs, the minister responded to concerns raised by assembly members and accused the previous government of destroying the state’s electricity sector.” Price variations arose due to the purchase of poles and transmission lines at exorbitant rates, which occurred under the former government’s management,” he said and asserted that “the present government is stabilizing the equipment purchase costs without any changes.”Ravi Kumar also said the YSRC government’s negligence of the PM KUSUM scheme has led to certain disruptions in the full-day electricity supply for farmers.He said, “Following the CM’s directives and in collaboration with the central government, steps are being taken to ensure that farmers receive high-quality free electricity for 9 hours continuously through the PM KUSUM scheme. Approximately 4.5 lakh agricultural electricity connections are required in the state. Approvals for 1 lakh PM KUSUM connections have already been granted.”The central government, he said, has responded positively to plans for an additional 2 lakh connections, and the tendering process will commence shortly.
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