NEW DELHI: While the Delhi executive is attempting woo them with a draft agricultural coverage, farmers of the nationwide capital do not appear to be very happy with the ruling Aam Aadmi Party on the factor of prime electricity fees each month.
"The Arvind Kejriwal government is being praised across the country for low electricity charges in Delhi. They claim to give the cheapest electricity to the Delhi people but farmers are made to pay higher rates," Naresh Kumar, a farmer from West Delhi's Hiran Kudna village told IANS.
"The fixed charge on the electricity meters on our tubewells is very high. This is costing us a lot, despite the fact that we don't use the tubewells throughout the year. Any farmer will use the tubewell only during the harvest seasons, which account for a maximum of two months. But we have to pay high charges to the electricity department throughout the year," he stated.
The fixed electricity charge for agriculture use in Delhi is Rs 125 in keeping with kilowatt per 30 days as in keeping with the tariff time table.
"So, if a farmer has a meter of 10 kilowatts to run a tubewell, he will have to pay a minimum of Rs 1,250 per month. The charge increase with the increase in the kilowatt. This is excluding the charges we have to pay for usage," stated another farmer.
"There are months when we have to have over Rs 4,000 for the electricity. This increases the overall cost of production and we are not getting any help from the government in this regard," he added.
Echoing identical sentiments, 65-year-old Satbir Sharma stated the profit margin of farmers has lowered because of this prime charge.
"The Kejriwal government came to power with a promise to give cheaper electricity and free water to people. But the opposite happened with the farmers. We have to pay so much in terms of fixed charge even though we hardly use the tubewells. Per acre, we get a profit of Rs 10,000 and of that if Rs 5,000 or Rs 6,000 is given for electricity, what is our benefit," Sharma stated.
Some farmers also stated that they have to provide the fixed charge even if they acquire meters on their own, whilst some others stated they've to pay this charge for the electricity they use in their properties as well.
Although no authentic knowledge is available, at an estimate, there are about 20,000 families of farmers in the nationwide capital. Agriculture in Delhi is being executed on about 75,000 acres of land.
When contacted, Delhi Development Minister, Gopal Rai, stated the federal government has said the issue raised by the farmers and is discussing the topic.
"We are having a discussion on the matter. We have got to know about the issue recently. Our government is working to make the life of a farmer easy. We will find a solution for this very soon," Rai stated.
While several farmers are difficult the aid of the fixed charge, some others demand it free.
"The farmers in the national capital are very less in number. The government can give us electricity free of cost," stated 72-year-old Balbir Jatt.
Apart from electricity, the farmers are also difficult a Delhi Agriculture Commission.
"The Commission will help the farmers in the issues faced by them," another farmer Man Singh Dagar stated, adding that the fee must be headed by an area farmer so that he understand floor stage problems.
In December last 12 months, the Delhi executive had shaped knowledgeable committee comprising a senior scientist from the Indian Agricultural Research Institute, farmers representatives and officers of the Agriculture Department for drafting the Agricultural Policy for Delhi.
The Committee has deliberated upon more than a few problems relating agriculture in Delhi, together with the implementation of recommendations of the Swaminathan Committee Report on the Minimum Support Price (MSP).
Apart from MSP, the federal government could also be running and gathering inputs on the chances of organic farming and the problem of land shrinking. Impact of urbanization could also be being labored out on in the coverage, a senior authentic told IANS.
"The Arvind Kejriwal government is being praised across the country for low electricity charges in Delhi. They claim to give the cheapest electricity to the Delhi people but farmers are made to pay higher rates," Naresh Kumar, a farmer from West Delhi's Hiran Kudna village told IANS.
"The fixed charge on the electricity meters on our tubewells is very high. This is costing us a lot, despite the fact that we don't use the tubewells throughout the year. Any farmer will use the tubewell only during the harvest seasons, which account for a maximum of two months. But we have to pay high charges to the electricity department throughout the year," he stated.
The fixed electricity charge for agriculture use in Delhi is Rs 125 in keeping with kilowatt per 30 days as in keeping with the tariff time table.
"So, if a farmer has a meter of 10 kilowatts to run a tubewell, he will have to pay a minimum of Rs 1,250 per month. The charge increase with the increase in the kilowatt. This is excluding the charges we have to pay for usage," stated another farmer.
"There are months when we have to have over Rs 4,000 for the electricity. This increases the overall cost of production and we are not getting any help from the government in this regard," he added.
Echoing identical sentiments, 65-year-old Satbir Sharma stated the profit margin of farmers has lowered because of this prime charge.
"The Kejriwal government came to power with a promise to give cheaper electricity and free water to people. But the opposite happened with the farmers. We have to pay so much in terms of fixed charge even though we hardly use the tubewells. Per acre, we get a profit of Rs 10,000 and of that if Rs 5,000 or Rs 6,000 is given for electricity, what is our benefit," Sharma stated.
Some farmers also stated that they have to provide the fixed charge even if they acquire meters on their own, whilst some others stated they've to pay this charge for the electricity they use in their properties as well.
Although no authentic knowledge is available, at an estimate, there are about 20,000 families of farmers in the nationwide capital. Agriculture in Delhi is being executed on about 75,000 acres of land.
When contacted, Delhi Development Minister, Gopal Rai, stated the federal government has said the issue raised by the farmers and is discussing the topic.
"We are having a discussion on the matter. We have got to know about the issue recently. Our government is working to make the life of a farmer easy. We will find a solution for this very soon," Rai stated.
While several farmers are difficult the aid of the fixed charge, some others demand it free.
"The farmers in the national capital are very less in number. The government can give us electricity free of cost," stated 72-year-old Balbir Jatt.
Apart from electricity, the farmers are also difficult a Delhi Agriculture Commission.
"The Commission will help the farmers in the issues faced by them," another farmer Man Singh Dagar stated, adding that the fee must be headed by an area farmer so that he understand floor stage problems.
In December last 12 months, the Delhi executive had shaped knowledgeable committee comprising a senior scientist from the Indian Agricultural Research Institute, farmers representatives and officers of the Agriculture Department for drafting the Agricultural Policy for Delhi.
The Committee has deliberated upon more than a few problems relating agriculture in Delhi, together with the implementation of recommendations of the Swaminathan Committee Report on the Minimum Support Price (MSP).
Apart from MSP, the federal government could also be running and gathering inputs on the chances of organic farming and the problem of land shrinking. Impact of urbanization could also be being labored out on in the coverage, a senior authentic told IANS.
Delhi farmers unhappy over power charges
![Delhi farmers unhappy over power charges]()
Reviewed by Kailash
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February 11, 2019
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