English
ਮਾਫ਼ ਕਰਨਾ, ਇਹ ਖਬਰ ਤੁਹਾਡੀ ਬੇਨਤੀ ਭਾਸ਼ਾ ਵਿੱਚ ਉਪਲਬਧ ਨਹੀਂ ਹੈ। ਕਿਰਪਾ ਕਰਕੇ ਇੱਥੇ ਦੇਖੋ।
State Government fully endorses the view that farmers are the backbone of the economy: Ranjit Singh
Chandigarh, March 18: Haryana Power Minister, Ranjit Singh said that the State Government fully endorses the view that farmers are the backbone of the economy and would like to assure that it is taking all possible steps to provide hassle free services to the farmers.
The Minister said this while replying to the Calling Attention Motion brought by MLAs Praveen Dagar and Varun Chaudhary on the last day of Budget session in Haryana Vidhan Sabha here today.
Procedure for release of new tubewell connections:
The Minister said that the procedure for release of tubewell connections is laid down by the two DISCOMs of the State as per guidelines issued by the State Government and regulations issued by the Haryana Electricity Regulatory Commission IHERC).
Online Application:
Farmers can apply for tubewell connection from their home online as well as by visiting the field offices of the DISCOMs where they are provided,with all possible assistance in the online filing of applications. Common Services Centres have also been opened by the State Government for facilitation of farmers/applicants in online processes. While applying for new tubewell connections, applicants are required to deposit security, Amount at the rate of Rs. 100 per KW.
Issue of Demand Notice:
The State Government decides the time period during which received tubewell applications are taken-up for release. Accordingly, DISCOMs issue demand notices to the eligible applicants for deposition of the consent money amounting to Rs. 30,000, in a single lot. The validity of demand notice in case of agriculture connections is three months.
The Government has decided to issue demand notices to all the new tubewell applicants numbering 84537, who had applied during the period from January 1, 2014 to December 31, 2018. Demand notices to all these applicants stand issued by both DISCOMs as on March 31, 2019 and out of them 58465 applicants have deposited the consent money amounting to Rs. 30,000.
Provision of 5 Star Rated Energy Efficient Motor-pumpset
In order to reduce agriculture subsidy burden and to save ground water, the State Government while approving the policy for releasing new tubewell connections to the applicants who had applied during the period from January 1, 2014 to December 31, 2018, made following provisions mandatory that include, use of 5 star (now 3 star) Energy Efficient motor-pumpsets and Installation of Micro irrigation/Underground pipeline system. Further, for the benefit of farmers, the State Government decided to provide 5 Star (now 3 star) Energy Efficient motor-pumpsets at subsidized rate through DISCOMs.
Cost of Electrical infrastructure
DISCOMs carryout site survey of the tubewell applicants who comply with the demand notice and prepare estimate for erection of electrical infrastructure required to release the connection in one month. The consent money of Rs. 30,000 deposited by the tubewell applicants in compliance to the demand notice is adjusted in this cost of electrical infrastructure. The connections are released to the applicants as per the seniority finalized based on the deposition of infrastructure cost on First Come First Serve basis. As per the said HERC Regulations, farmers/applicants are required to deposit actual charges incurred by the DISCOMs for laying of electrical infrastructure for release of their tubewell connections. As charges are recovered on actual basis. In order to ensure speedy erection of electrical infrastructure DISCOMs have awarded this work on turnkey basis on September 16, 2019 to M/s Gopi Krishna, Hyderabad in UHBVN and to M/s Pace Power, Hyderabad in DHBVN. Accordingly, the DISCOMs prepared the estimates of electrical work for the applicants who deposited consent money and motor-pumpset cost.
Free Smart Meters
Presently, new tubewell connections are being released by providing smart meters free of cost by the DISCOMs. The State Government has decided to provide subsidy to the DISCOMs in this regard.
Status of release of Tubewell Connections
In the first phase, 18419 applicants (Submersible plus monoblock) who have deposited the cost of 5 Star (now 3 star) Energy Efficient motor-pumpsets and cost of electrical infrastructure have been taken-up for release. As on March 3, 2021, 8152 tubewell connections out of 18419 have been released. The remaining are also being released expeditiously as per seniority. These along with 40,000 additional new tubewell connections (in 2nd phase) are likely to be released by June 30, 2022.
Off-Grid Solar Powered tubewell Connections
In addition, farmers have been given option to opt for off-grid solar based tubewell connections through Department of NRE and HAREDA upto 10BHP capacity on subsidized rates. Farmers can apply for the same online on the SARAL portal. As on date, 7922 off-grid solar based tubewell connections have been provided since February 1, 2020.
High amount of security deposit
The Security Deposit for tubewell applicants is taken from the farmers/applicants in terms of Clause 5.6 of HERC Duty to Supply Electricity on Request and Power to Recover Expenditure and Power to Recover Security Regulations 2016 (1st Amendment 2020) dated March 19, 2020. Advance Consumption Deposit (ACD) for tubewell applicants is least as compared to that of the other categories and is Rs. 100 per KW since 2005.
Non Opening of Web-portal
It is submitted that the web-portals were made live from September 6 to 30, 2019 in its first iteration. A total of 12074 applicants deposited the cost of motor-pumpset during this period nut of total 84537 eligible applicants. The DISCOMs for these applicants, procured 5 Star Energy Efficient motor-pumpset by floating an open tender (in July, 2019) at competitive rates finalized by the High Powered purchase Committee (State). The rate contract was issued for purchase of motor-pumpset on September 11, 2019. Releasing 84537 tubewell connections in a single lot is a mammoth task for the DISCOMs and it is to be understood that such a colossal number of connections cannot be released in one or two years time by knowing the fact that electrical lines for tubewell connections are mainly erected during the lean period which amounts to only three months (April to June) in a year. During rest of the time, electrical lines cannot be erected because of standing crops. Accordingly tubewell connections are being released in phase wise manner. To release tubewell connections, DISCOMs signed a rate contract with M/s Duke Plasto Gujarat for procurement of 15000 5 Star rated energy efficient motor-pumpsets.
Meanwhile, in February 2020, the Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE), Government of India downgraded the energy efficiency standards of agriculture motor-pumpsets. As per the new standard, the 5 Star rated motor-pumpsets procured by the DISCOMs could qualify for 3 star rating with effect from February 11, 2020.
The DISCOMs floated fresh e-tender for the procurement of 5 Star rated motor-pumpsets with updated norms of BEE, but no firm participated despite extension being granted multiple times because of non-availability of 5 Star Rated motor-pumpset. Due to this change, the web-portal could not be opened again. This not-opening of web-portal for the second time has caused inconvenience to the farmers/applicants in procurement of motor-pumpsets.
However, as already stated above, in the next phase of release of tubewell connections, there would be no requirement of any web portal. The State Government has decided the applicants would now be able to procure their motor-pumpset directly from the designated dealers of the firms that would be empanelled by the DISCOMs. And tubewell connections can now be released with 3 Star (earlier 5 star) rated energy efficient motor-pumpset.
Recently, the DISCOMs floated Expression of interest (EOI for purchase of 40,000 3 Star rated motor-pumpsets which has been finalized on February 5, 2021 by the High Powered Purchase Committee (State) alongwith discovery of competitive rates that could be charged from the applicant by the firm. These approximately 40,000 balance connections are likely to be released by June 30, 2022.
Not releasing tubewell connections beyond 35BHP
He said that it is a fact that applicants who applied for tubewell capacity beyond 30 BHP during the period January 1, 2014 to December 31, 2018 have not yet been taken up for release tubewell connections.
It is stated that out of total 84537 eligible applicants, there are only 1649 applicants who have applied for capacity beyond 30 BHP that is merely 1.95 percent. Further, it is stated that the State Government has taken this conscious decision keeping in view the exaggerated extraction of ground water and requirement of high amount of agricultural subsidy by tubewell connections above 30BHP.
It is also stated that DISCOMs have released tubewell connections (applied before January 1, 2014) irrespective of their capacity. Since 2014-15 to February 2021, UHBVN and DHBVN have released 42 and 1131 ( a total of 1173) tubewell connections respectively with capacity beyond 30BHP.
He said that there is no need of any web portal now and the State Government is committed to releasing tubewell connections to farmers who have consented to be covered by the existing scheme in an expeditious manner.
