A recent circular issued by the Tamil Nadu government has sparked controversy among farmers, who are seeking free electricity connections for irrigation purposes. According to the circular, farmers who draw solar power will be charged Rs 4.80 per unit for up to 500 units and Rs 6.95 per unit for consumption above 500 units. Furthermore, they will only be provided with a tariff connection if they undertake not to apply for a free electricity connection. This move has been termed “unfair” by farmers, who have been waiting for free power connections for years.
However, K Kuppurani, Chief Engineer of TNEB, Coimbatore Region, clarified that the instruction was issued earlier but was revoked on April 16. The Tamil Nadu Electricity Board (TNEB) is currently in talks with the Agricultural Engineering Department to frame new norms. Meanwhile, it has been reported that over three lakh farmers have been waiting for free power connections over the past decade, with more than half of them having been provided connections.
The Tamil Nadu government has been providing free electricity to around 23.56 lakh agricultural power lines in the state. Since the DMK government took charge in 2021, a total of 1.69 lakh new free electricity connections have been provided. The issue of free power connections has been a long-standing demand of farmers in the state, who rely heavily on electricity for irrigation purposes. The government’s move to charge farmers who draw solar power has been met with opposition, with many arguing that it will add to their financial burden. The matter is currently being reviewed, and new norms are expected to be framed in consultation with the Agricultural Engineering Department.