The direct benefit transfer (DBT) scheme for electricity subsidy to farmers is set to be extended to all the districts.
Direct transfer of electricity subsidy to farmers is among the conditions set by the Centre for permitting additional borrowing by States. In Kerala, the scheme was piloted in Pathanamthitta district in November 2020.
The State government, through a September 22 order, gave its nod for extending DBT to all districts on the basis of a recommendation made by the Director of Agriculture. The subsidy will be paid in advance into the bank accounts of beneficiary groups/’Padasekhara Samithis’ under the DBT scheme.
The groups need to be registered under the Act governing charitable societies. The scheme also calls for the creation of a joint bank account for the president and secretary of the group and the Agriculture Officer concerned. The amount paid in advance on the bi-monthly electricity bill will be derived from the electricity usage during the previous two months.
At present, the bills are settled directly by the Agriculture Department once the KSEB section offices generates them. Agricultural electricity tariffs come under LT-V(A) and LT-V(B) categories.
The DBT scheme will be monitored by a high-level panel consisting of the Ministers for Agriculture, Finance and Electricity, the Agriculture Production Commissioner, the Principal Secretaries for Finance and Electricity, the Agriculture Director and the Chief Engineer (Distribution) of the KSEB.
The KSEB has been directed not to disconnect supply or collect surcharge and penal interest if the Agriculture Department delays the advance payments.
Criticism
Meanwhile, the Association of Agricultural Officers Kerala has criticised the decision to remit the electricity charges through bank accounts of Padasekhara Samithis and beneficiary groups.
It could open the doors for irregularities involving public funds, the association said in a letter to Agriculture Minister P. Prasad, calling for a review of the September 22 order.
Asking agriculture officers to be part of joint accounts opened by the beneficiary groups is unjust as it places a huge liability on their shoulders, the association alleged.
