Rajahmundry MP M. Muralimohan has said that pump-sets will increase agriculture yield, besides helping farmers reduce investment costs.
Inaugurating a farmers’ awareness programme here on Thursday as part of the ‘Agriculture Demand Side Management (Ag DSM) project’, the MP said farmers would get large quantity of water by using new pump-sets rather than the existing ones.
He added that the government would ensure 24-hour power supply soon.
AP Energy Advisor K. Ranganatham, who delivered the key-note address, said Rajanagaram mandal would be the first in the State to use high energy pump-sets.
More than 2,500 pump-sets will be replaced under the project.
He added that the pump-sets, each worth Rs. 80,000, would be handed over to farmers free of cost. Maintenance of high energy pump-sets will done free of cost for five years.
Power utilities will spend more than Rs. 20 crore for the pilot project.
Later on, the project will be rolled out to all consumers, wherein nearly 15 lakh pump-sets will be replaced with new ones.
Apart from giving utmost priority for implementation of energy efficiency (EE) programmes like DELP in the domestic sector and street light replacement in municipalities, the government will focus on the agriculture sector, wherein there is scope for 30 per cent energy savings.
Rajanagaram MLA Pendurthi Venkatesh thanked the Chief Minister for selecting his constituency for implementing the pilot project.
AP EPDCL MD R. Mutyala Raju said they had identified 14 villages in Kadiyam mandal and 1,085 nursery farmers for replacement of pump-sets.
He added that under EPDCL purview 92,000 street lights were replaced with LED in Vizag City, paving the way for saving of 44 per cent power.
Rajanagaram mandal to be first in State to use high energy pump-sets
