By Neeraj Kumar
Patna: Farmers in Bihar will soon be able to obtain electricity connections from the comfort of their homes, thanks to an upcoming campaign by the state electricity company. Currently, 4.80 lakh farmers in Bihar lack electricity connections. To address this, the company plans to visit farmers’ homes directly and organize special camps from village to panchayat levels. This initiative aligns with the state government’s commitment to ensuring irrigation water reaches every farm.
The electricity company has announced that farmers will receive free electricity connections under the Mukhyamantri Krishi Vidyut Sambandh Yojana-2023. The state government has allocated 2127 crores for this purpose. Farmers need only provide the necessary documents to receive the connection. Additionally, dedicated agricultural feeders have been established to facilitate easy irrigation access.
So far, 1354 dedicated feeders have been created in Bihar, with plans to build more under the RDSS scheme. Farmers are currently benefiting from affordable electricity rates, with the Bihar Electricity Regulatory Commission approving a rate of Rs 6.19 per unit. However, due to government subsidies, farmers are only paying 55 paise per unit.
In the fourth agricultural roadmap, the government aims to provide electricity connections to 4.80 lakh farmers within the next three years. This follows the success of the previous scheme, which connected 3.75 lakh farmers. The company is determined to reach farmers directly and resolve pending applications through special camps.
To increase agricultural connections, the company will organize special camps from block to panchayat levels. Public representatives, including MPs, MLAs, Mukhiya, Sarpanch, and others, will assist in motivating farmers to apply for electricity connections, ensuring maximum participation in the initiative.
