Maharashtra: Dy CM Fadnavis instructs not to disconnect power connections of farmers who have paid current bills

Mumbai: Amid growing anger among the agricultural consumers, the Deputy Chief Minister Mr Devendra Fadnavis; who holds the energy department, on Monday instructed the state power distribution company the MahaVitaran officials not to cut the electricity connection for farmers who have paid the current bills of the agricultural pumps.

The MahaVitaran disconnects the electricity connection following the nonpayment of electricity bills. However, due to heavy rains, the farmers have suffered a lot. Farmers in many districts of the state are in trouble due to the loss of crops. In the wake of farmers from such districts reeling under financial distress the DCM has asked the MahaVitaran officials that they should be exempted from the disconnection of electricity connections if they have cleared current bills. 

"Those who have not incurred losses  should make regular electricity bill payments. In the affected areas, recovery can be made in future. However, the MahaVitaran has been asked not to disconnect the agricultural pumps,’’ said Mr Fadnavis.

Mr Fadnavis’ instructions came after he received representations from farmers citing that due to power disconnection, water cannot be supplied to agricultural fields despite the fact that wells are full of water. The crops are drying up due to lack of water.