Mumbai: Under fire for the loan waiver scheme fiasco, the State government on Wednesday extended the deadline to cut farmers’ power connections by a week to avoid generating more anger.
Earlier, the State Power Ministry had announced November 7 as the deadline for paying outstanding electricity bills, failing which connections would be disconnected. Faced with the farmers’ aggressive stand, sources said Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis intervened on Wednesday, and extended the deadline by a week. Now, farmers have to clear outstanding bills by November 15.
In all, 41 lakh farmers have agricultural power connections, and the total outstanding amount to be recovered from unpaid bills is around ₹19,000 crore. The government had announced a scheme on Monday which allows users with less than ₹30,000 outstanding to pay in five instalments. Others can pay in 10 instalments. Power Minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule had announced that those who don’t cooperate will have their connections cut.
The decision, however, backfired on Tuesday, with farmer organisations opposing the move to cut power connections. Ajit Nawale, convener, Steering Committee of farmer organisations, “The government has failed to provide fair prices for their produce. Demonetisation has cripled the rural economy. The loan waiver scheme has flopped. Now, the government is severing connections. We will not allow this.”
Mr. Bawankule said, “The electricity board needs money to buy power from the national grid. We don’t have enough money to buy power. The outstanding amount is so high that the board can’t sustain for much longer. So we are requesting farmers to pay their bills. Concessions are revised now and we are sure farmers will pay up.”
Mr. Navale, however, seemed unimpressed. “The government may have revised its decision, but there are many examples where the board has cut connections. Those farmers must get electricity immediately.”
