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Riders unveiled for free power to farm tube wells
The conditions include capping the maximum usage of free power to save groundwater from being wasted. The Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) issued by UPPCL managing director Pankaj Kumar here on Friday mandate installation of energy meters on private tube well connections, making it a prerequisite for farmers to qualify for the ostensibly “free” power.
Lucknow: Days after the Uttar Pradesh cabinet cleared the free power scheme for farmers’ private tube wells on Tuesday, the UP Power Corporation Ltd (UPPCL) has now introduced a set of riders for farmers to be able to avail themselves of the 100% rebate on electricity usage by their agricultural pump sets.
The conditions include capping the maximum usage of free power to save groundwater from being wasted.
The Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) issued by UPPCL managing director Pankaj Kumar here on Friday mandate installation of energy meters on private tube well connections, making it a prerequisite for farmers to qualify for the ostensibly “free” power.
People in the know of things said that currently most of the 14.61 lakh private tube wells in the state are unmetered with the farmers strongly resisting the move to install meters on their tube well connections, even if for audit.
“We did install meters on a few lakh tube well connections sometime back, convincing farmers that meters were being installed for the purpose of audit of energy and not for the purpose of billing. But most of farmers have removed those meters by now,” a senior UPPLC official said.
As per SOPs, farmers are required to clear any outstanding arrears, as on March 31, 2023, against their tube well connections to access free power benefits. The cabinet on Tuesday cleared the proposal seeking 100% rebate on bills with effect from April 2023.
“The time for registration under the scheme is set as June 30, 2024. After this deadline, those consumers who had outstanding dues as on March 31, 2023 and did not register will not be eligible for the benefits under the (free power) scheme,” according to the SOPs that allow farmers the option to clear their dues in instalments as well.
Further, the UPPCL has put a cap on the maximum number of units as free for better water level management in the state and responsible utilisation of rebate being provided to farmers.
Thus, the 100% rebate in fixed charges as well as energy charges will be available only up to 140 units per KW/per month to the maximum limit of 7.46 KW (10 HP)/1044 units a month. Power consumption above this limit will be charged as per the prevailing tariff.
In Bundelkhand, however, farmers have been allowed 100% rebate on tube well connection of capacity upto 9.32 KW (12.5 HP), which means a farmer owning a tube well of 9.32 KW there can consume 1300 units free per month. However, the rebate in fixed charges for any tube well above 10 HP or 7.46 KW will be only 50%.
“To avail the benefits of the free power scheme, farmers will have to register by applying on the UPPCL/discom portal and give consent in writing to all the terms and conditions, including installation of a meter on their connection,” another UPPCL official said, referring to SoPs.
