Hyderabad: Deputy Chief Minister Bhatti Vikramarka categorically ruled out smart meters on farm pumps and gave farmers a 100 per cent assurance against their installation.
Replying to members in the Legislative Council on Friday, Bhatti said the government would not impose meters on agricultural motors or pump sets. He gave a 100 per cent assurance to farmers and their families on the issue.
“Even if the heavens and earth were to come together, or anyone exerts pressure, there will be no meters on agricultural pump sets,” he said.
Bhatti also appealed to political parties and others not to spread unnecessary fears among farmers. He asked them not to create misconceptions by claiming that the government would install meters on agricultural motors.
Moreover, he said the government had already clearly stated its position. He asserted that there would be no change in that stand.
Smart meters on farm pumps not mandated under RDSS
The Deputy Chief Minister clarified that the Revamped Distribution Sector Scheme did not mandate smart meters on farm pumps. He reiterated that the RDSS contained no provision making metering of agricultural pump sets compulsory.
Bhatti also referred to an agreement signed during the previous BRS government. He said that government had entered into a tripartite agreement under the UDAY scheme.
The agreement involved the Union Ministry of Power, the Telangana DISCOMs and the previous state government. It stipulated 100 per cent metering of Distribution Transformers by June 30, 2017.
In addition, the agreement provided a timetable for installing smart meters for certain categories of electricity consumers. However, agricultural consumers were excluded from the specified requirement.
Under the agreement, smart meters were to be installed by December 31, 2018, for consumers using more than 500 electricity units monthly. Agricultural consumers did not fall under that provision.
Subsequently, the agreement provided for smart meters by December 31, 2019, for consumers consuming more than 200 units per month.
Bhatti again stressed that the RDSS did not contain a provision requiring meters on agricultural pump sets. Therefore, he rejected claims that such metering was mandatory under the scheme.
The Deputy Chief Minister also criticised the previous BRS government over the utilisation of grants from the Centre. He alleged that its failure to utilise available grants had caused financial losses to the state.