Vijayawada: The AP government will replace 15 lakh obsolete and low-quality agricultural pumpsets with energy-efficient equipment that will cost the state exchequer Rs 6,000 crore, as a Sankranti gift to the farming community.
Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu made the announcement during a tele-conference on Sunday.
Discoms will replace around four lakh old pumpsets with energy-efficient machines each costing Rs 40,000, by fiscal year 2018-19.
A press release from Energy Conservation Mission MD and CEO A. Chandrasekhar Reddy said farmers will get BEE five-star rated pumpsets that will save energy by 30 per cent and have a mobile operated smart control panel with SIM card. These pumps don't require repair or maintenance costs for five years. Whenever there is any problem with the pump, it will send an automatic SMS so that the farmer knows there is a problem and does not have to venture out at night and risk snake bites.
The Chief Minister said he was proud to announce that Andhra Pradesh is the only state in the country to have this energy-efficient pump-set scheme.
The government is also contemplating providing solar pumpset connections to farmers wherever the groundwater table is at a depth of 75 metres. Each solar power activated pump set will cost Rs 3.12 lakh. The state with the support of the Centre will pay Rs 2.57 lakh and the farmer has to contribute Rs 55,000.
