Indore:
The subsidy of farmers, who get free electricity under government scheme, will now be deposited in their virtual bank accounts from where West Disocm would be paid.
Virtual bank accounts of four lakh farmers from SC and ST category, who falls under MP Western Region Power Distribution Company, would be opened in the next three months.
From the new year, the subsidy of these farmer consumers will be reaching in the accounts, then the power company will get it from there.
The farmer will receive an SMS for each transaction. The move is aimed at informing beneficiary farmers that the government is giving them free electricity for irrigation.
The government provides 100 per cent subsidy to the SC/ST farmers with 1 hectare of land and up to five horsepower of pump.
In the first phase, these farmers would be brought under direct benefit transfer ie DBT scheme and then transfer of irrigation power amount will be done.
Axis Bank will open free virtual accounts of eligible farmers in Indore, Dewas, Dhar, Ujjain, Jhabua, Alirajpur, Barwani, Burhanpur, Khandwa, Khargone, Agar, Shajapur, Ratlam, Mandsaur, Neemuch under the Western Region Power Distribution Company.
This work will start from the end of December.
How much amount of electricity used for irrigation
A three-horsepower pump takes 25 units of electricity for an average of 10 hours of operation every day, the normal rate of electricity being Rs 170 per day. Similarly, a pump of up to five horsepower takes about 40 units of electricity when running 10 hours, the normal rate of this electricity is about Rs 270. With this, the subsidy amount can also be estimated.
WHAT OFFICERS HAVE TO SAY
The DBT scheme is included in the priority of the government. In the western region, eligible farmers from Jhabua, Alirajpur will be receiving free electricity in the first phase and then other districts will join.
Amit Tomar, MD, West Discom
For DBT, Axis Bank will open virtual accounts of all eligible farmers with the help of West Discom. The farmers will not have to go to the bank. Every farmer will know from SMS how much the government has paid for irrigation.
Manoj Jhanwar, Director, West Discom
