Lakhs of Punjab farmers, having more than one tubewell connection, may soon be barred from availing the State Government’s power subsidy (free power). For, the Punjab Cabinet, during its scheduled July 24 meeting, is expected to take a decision in the matter.
More than a year after the State Cabinet had approved a proposal to “give up power subsidy”, the Cabinet would take a significant decision in its meeting on Wednesday.
Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh, during the Cabinet Meeting on January 24, 2018, had appealed to the big farmers to voluntarily give up their power subsidy to contribute to the government’s efforts to check water depletion while underlining the fact that the move would save the vital ground water resource.
Since then, not many came up to forego the subsidy. In fact, the big and influential farmers continue to take advantage of the scheme. As per available information, three Cabinet Ministers — Finance Minister Manpreet Singh Badal, Jails Minister Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa, and Revenue Minister Gurpreet Singh Kangar — have given up the power subsidy.
Punjab Congress president Sunil Kumar Jakhar and his nephew and Punjab Farmers’ and Farm Workers’ Commission chairman Ajay Vir Jakhar have also gave the free power facility.
As per the latest data provided by the state power corporation — Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL) till April this year, there are as many as 12.51 lakh agriculture power consumers in Punjab. Out of these, more than 1.83 lakh farmers hold multiple connections.
Punjab Government is providing free power to the state’s marginal farmers, besides the industrial and domestic users. The State Government, as the latest tariff orders passed by the Punjab State Electricity Regulatory Commission (PSERC), is to pay the power corporation Rs 14,972 crore against the power subsidies, which also include the carryforwards from the previous years amounting to Rs 5,297 crore.
Finding that many marginal farmers are devoid of the scheme while many others struggle to get a tubewell connection, the Government has now decided to review the power subsidy it is providing to the farmers, including well-off and the influential ones.
As per the latest figures, as many as 1.42 lakh consumers have two AP (agriculture pumpsets) connections, while total 29,322 have triple connections, and 10,128 have over four connections.
“It has been observed that the free power, which is meant for the marginal farmers, is being grabbed by the big and rich farmers while the needy have been left wanting. Many farmers have multiple connections and it has been proposed that such beneficiaries would be excluded from the scheme,” a government functionary told The Pioneer.
“The big farmers, who can take two-three-four connections, are also capable of paying electricity. But they are taking advantage of the scheme. Now, it has been proposed that the subsidy would be provided only on one motor connection,” said the official adding that those having only one tubewell connection would continue to get subsidize power.
Notably, time and again, the demand to review the power subsidy and taking out rich and influentials from its ambit has been raised from all quarters but the government has failed to take any concrete decision on the same.
The state farmers’ Farmers’ and Farm Workers’ Commission had, in its porposed agriculture policy last year, recommended that the farmers with more than 10 acres of land should be charged Rs 100 per horse power monthly bills on tubewell motors.
“We have suggested that the income generated by the move should be utilized for the purpose of subsidy. Besides, it has also been suggested that the big farmers should not be given subsidized power,” Commission chairperson Ajay Vir Jakhar had said.
