Farmers to get free electricity to operate tubewells very soon: UP minister

Lucknow: Uttar Pradesh Energy Minister A K Sharma on Wednesday said the scheme to provide free electricity to farmers to operate tubewells will be implemented very soon.

Though the state government announced the scheme in the budget for 2023-24, it is yet to be implemented.

Replying to a question raised by Samajwadi Party member Mohammad Faheem Irfan, the minister said in the Assembly, "The BJP has promised this (scheme) in its manifesto. The finance minister has made provision for it in the state budget. Its implementation will be done very soon on the orders of the chief minister and the finance minister."

The government has allocated Rs 1,500 crore for the scheme in the annual budget for 2023-24 in February.

This will be made available as a cash subsidy to Uttar Pradesh Power Corporation Ltd., enabling it to provide free electricity to around 14 lakh electricity-run private tubewells owned by farmers in the state.

Replying to another question of SP member Irfan, the minister said that power tariff has not been increased in the state since 2019-2020.