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Big relief for farmers

JAIPUR: In an attempt to save the standing rabi crops, the Rajasthan Government on Wednesday decided not to disconnect till March 31 the power connections of farmers who did not pay their electricity bills during 2007-08. The Jaipur, Jodhpur and Ajmer power distribution companies have issued orders in this regard with immediate effect.

Minister of State for Energy Gajendra Singh announced in the Assembly during Zero Hour that the farmers would be allowed to pay their bills next month. The decision will apply to any amount of bill pending in 2007-08.

The State Government had last month waived electricity bills of small and marginal farmers whose 50 per cent or more crops were damaged by the frost and cold wave. The decision is applicable to the bills for the period between December 2007 and March 2008.

Mr. Singh said the State Government had received reports that the farmers were facing difficulty in paying electricity bills even in areas not affected by cold wave during winter. “Disconnection of power would have led to a huge loss of rabi crops with farmers being unable to irrigate them properly,” he added.

Responding to the charge that some connections had been cut off in Sikar district, Mr. Singh said there were as many as 51,414 agricultural power connections in the district, against which the payment of Rs.4.16 crore was pending. He said no connection had been disconnected for default during 2007-08.

The Minister affirmed that the State Government wanted to help out farmers and was taking all steps to reduce agricultural distress while making sure that the standing crops were not damaged by non-availability of power.

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