Provide Electricity to Farmers for Sufficient Duration and With Proper Voltage: Serious Voice Raised Over Degraded State of Agricultural Sector, Annadatas Struggling With Irrigation Crisis Appeal to Administration
The difficulties faced by farmers, considered the backbone of the country, show no signs of abating. On one hand, the vagaries of weather and natural disasters are impacting farming and agriculture, while on the other hand, the sluggish system of the electricity department and unannounced power cuts have broken the backs of farmers. Across agricultural regions, a single loud and prominent demand is echoing today—"Provide electricity to farmers for a sufficient duration and with proper voltage."
Due to weak voltage and erratic power fluctuations, crops standing in the fields have reached the verge of withering. With tubewells and boring pumps failing to operate on time, lines of worry have deepened on the foreheads of the Annadatas. Widespread anger prevails among farmers regarding the abysmal state of power supply in rural areas, and they are reaching out to everyone from administrative officials to public representatives with their grievances.
What is the Whole Matter? (Degraded State of Agricultural Feeders and Voltage Problem)
In the rural regions of Bihar and surrounding areas, claims are made by the government to supply electricity for agricultural work separately through dedicated agricultural feeders, but ground realities expose the hollowness of these claims.
Unannounced and Sluggish Power Cuts: Farmers state that although provisions on paper exist to supply 8 to 10 hours of electricity to agricultural feeders, in reality, they barely receive 3 to 4 hours of power. That too is so irregular that starting up motors becomes practically impossible.
Severe Low-Voltage Problem: In areas where electricity does arrive, the voltage remains so severely low that farmers' expensive starters, transformers, and pumping sets either burn out or prove incapable of drawing water.
Irrigation Timing and Crop Destruction: With water unavailable during this crucial phase of paddy transplantation, pre-sowing irrigation (Paleva) of maize and other crops, the crops have started drying up. Farmers have warned that if power supply is not improved in time, they will suffer massive economic losses.
Farmers' Pain and Administrative Apathy
The Annadatas who sweat day and night to feed the country are being forced to struggle just to irrigate their crops.
Double Blow From Diesel Inflation: Due to the lack of electricity and low voltage, farmers are forced to run pump sets using expensive diesel. Skyrocketing diesel prices have inflated the cost of farming to such an extent that farmers are now sinking deeper into the quagmire of debt.
Departmental Neglect: Farmers allege that they have repeatedly informed the local Power Sub-Station and Junior Engineer about this problem, but each time they have received nothing more than hollow assurances. When transformers burn out, they are not replaced for months.
Warning of Protests and Demonstrations: If the situation does not improve soon, various farmer organizations and rural Annadatas have warned of staging gheraos of electricity offices and launching fierce agitations.
What is the Responsibility of the Government and Electricity Board?
Grand claims are made by the government to provide electricity at subsidized rates to keep the agricultural sector on track, but the lack of ground-level implementation renders these schemes unsuccessful.
Need to Improve Infrastructure: Providing adequate voltage is impossible without resolving the problems of dilapidated wires, old transformers, and overloading in rural areas. The electricity board must expand the capacity of agricultural feeders.
Adherence to Designated Schedule: The government and energy department must ensure that farmers receive electricity at full capacity for fixed hours according to the roster so that they can water their crops on time.
"Provide electricity to farmers for a sufficient duration and with proper voltage" is not merely a slogan, but the cry of crores of Annadatas of the country tied to their livelihood and existence. Only if agriculture survives will the country be fed. The time has come for the energy department and administration to take this grave problem on a priority basis, find a permanent solution to the low-voltage crisis in rural pockets, and provide uninterrupted electricity to farmers so they can breathe a sigh of relief.
