Bhatti: 3.44 Lakh Agri Power Connections Given in 3-Yrs

Hyderabad: Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka on Monday said the state government had provided 3.44 lakh new agriculture power connections over the past three years. The achievement reflected the government’s focus on strengthening rural infrastructure and addressing long-pending demands of farmers, he told the Legislative Council.

Bhatti said that between January 2022 and December 2025, all pending applications for agricultural power connections were reviewed, following which 3,44,462 farmers were sanctioned connections. To meet the load requirements, the government had installed 75,686 new transformers.

He clarified that power connections were being released strictly on the basis of seniority, without discrimination, and stated that another 9,700 farmers would be provided transformers once ongoing line works were completed. Granting nearly two lakh connections in two years, he said, stood testimony to the government’s commitment.

Bhatti also highlighted steps taken to improve power restoration during outages. He said “electricity ambulances,” modelled on the 108 emergency service, had been introduced to reduce response time during disruptions. Once a complaint is registered through the 1912 toll-free number, a vehicle equipped with mobile transformers, thermal vision cameras and safety equipment is dispatched to the site. Each unit includes an engineer and two staff members who attend to faults on a priority basis.

Dismissing allegations, Bhatti said there was no scarcity of electricity poles, transformers or wires. Under the ‘Praja Bata’ programme, power department officials spend three days a week in the field identifying and rectifying issues such as bent poles and dangling wires. He assured Council members that any written complaint brought to his notice would be resolved within 24 hours.

On renewable energy, Bhatti said the previous BRS government had failed to effectively implement the PM-Kusum (Pradhan Mantri Kisan Urja Suraksha Evam Utthan Mahabhiyan), launched by the Centre to promote solar energy in agriculture. Due to the lack of proposals from the earlier regime, Telangana could not utilise the funds when they were available, he said, adding that the Centre was now citing non-availability of funds.

Bhatti said the state government was in constant touch with the Centre to secure the maximum possible allocation under PM-Kusum. Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy and he had personally met the Union power minister and submitted representations, including a request for unutilised quotas from other states. He added that while farmers were showing limited interest in solar pumps due to free power, the government was working to raise awareness and promote green energy adoption.