Pune: Maharashtra govt will upgrade the power infrastructure across the state in a bid to provide some relief to farmers amid drought.Govt has declared that Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company Limited (MSEDCL) will install 1,000 new specially designed transformers in each district and conduct repairs of the existing transformers. The new transformers will bifurcate the existing load between agricultural and residential consumers, enabling the power utility to provide continuous power to farmers.The cabinet has approved the project. Its implementation would begin immediately after govt resolution (GR) is issued. Govt has allocated Rs20 crore per district for the project under the district planning and development council scheme.Activists said additional transformers sanctioned for drought-hit areas would benefit households and small agricultural business units in the coming months. These would practically provide relief to farmers in irrigation next year, they stressed.“There will be hardly any use of motor pumps now because there is no water in water bodies in eight districts of Marathwada. Self-help groups running small agri-businesses need significant and consistent electricity to run their machines without interruptions. For them, it will be a big relief,” said Beed-based activist Uddhav Ghodke.The new transformers would benefit those who receive electricity for agricultural motor pumps during night shifts big time from next year. Activists and farmers’ organisations stressed the need for speedy implementation of the project.They said delay in procurement could defeat the purpose of allocating a special budget for transformers. An MSEDCL official said the entire project would be completed at least before the rabi season.“State govt has given sanction to the district planning and development council to allocate a special budget for procurement of transformers. To take advantage of this scheme, the district concerned should quickly go for procurement. Otherwise, the core objective of the scheme will remain on paper only,” said activist Shripad Lonari.
