Minister for Energy G. Jagadish Reddy told the Assembly on Monday that the power utilities in the State were spending over Rs.2,100 crore on improving the capacity of power transmission lines and distribution network to implement the nine-hour day-time supply to agriculture sector after March next year. Replying the short discussion on “power situation in the State” that was held in the absence of main Opposition parties, except MIM, following their suspension for remainder of the session earlier in the day, the Minister said the power utilities are also planning to separate agriculture feeders with others, improving voltage profile and power factor, setting up capacitor banks and replacement of 33/11-KV old transmission lines as part of power for all scheme.
He told the House that the Centre had sanctioned Rs.1,1176 crore for supply of uninterrupted power round the clock from 2018-19 and Rs.837 crore of it would grant. Mr. Reddy stated that the government sanctioned 74,069 agriculture connections in 10 months of 2014-15.
