BRS demands withdrawal of ‘Rythu DISCOM’ proposal, alleges bid to end free power for farmers
The BRS opposed the Telangana government’s proposal for a separate Rythu DISCOM during an ERC public hearing, alleging it could weaken the existing free power supply system for farmers. Party leaders and farmers’ groups also raised concerns over possible privatisation and reduced rural services
Hyderabad: The Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) on Friday strongly opposed the Congress government’s proposal to establish a separate “Rythu DISCOM” for agricultural power supply. The party leaders termed the move an attempt to dismantle the existing 24-hour free electricity scheme for farmers and pave the way for privatisation of the power sector.
Former Ministers G Jagadish Reddy and S Niranjan Reddy, along with party leaders and representatives of farmers’ associations, presented their objections during the public hearing conducted by the Telangana Electricity Regulatory Commission (ERC). They urged the Commission to reject the proposal for the new DISCOM and appealed that such crucial decisions should not be taken without field-level consultations with farmers.
Arguing before the ERC, Jagadish Reddy said the BRS government under former Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao had successfully implemented uninterrupted 24-hour free power supply to farmers since 2017 without disruption. He stated that the proposed third DISCOM was designed to separate revenue-generating consumers from subsidised agricultural connections, ultimately isolating farmers and weakening the existing power distribution structure.
“The so-called Rythu DISCOM risks turning into a death noose for farmers,” he remarked.
Jagadish Reddy also warned that the new arrangement could severely affect field-level electricity services in rural areas due to a reduction in linemen and technical staff. He claimed farmers would lose direct access to local electricity officials and would instead be forced to depend on a centralised system for grievance redressal.
Niranjan Reddy urged the ERC to reject the government’s application for a distribution licence and termed Chief Minister Revanth Reddy’s announcement of the launch date irresponsible. He questioned the Revanth Reddy government’s urgency in announcing the launch of the new DISCOM from June 2 even before securing ERC approval. He said such announcements created doubts about possible pressure on the regulatory body.
He accused the government of portraying farmers as electricity thieves through its arguments about electricity misuse in agricultural connections.
Several farmers’ associations and opposition representatives also opposed the proposal, arguing that the existing two DISCOMs should instead be strengthened financially and operationally. Concerns were also raised over reports that the proposed entity could eventually be handed over to private corporate groups.
In their representation, the BRS leaders reminded that no other State has a separate discom exclusively for farmers and questioned the purpose of such discom which could not be achieved through existing integrated system. They also sought to know why Mission Bhagiratha, Lift Irrigation Schemes, HMWSSB and municipal water supply systems were also included under the new discom, when the government was claiming that it was floated to resolve farmers issues.
The BRS leaders raised concern that the Congress government was planning to transfer and impose a loan burden of Rs 36,000 crore on the new discom which has assets worth Rs 4,929 crore. They sought to know how the government plans to sustain this new discom which will incurr a bill of Rs 28,000 crore per annum.
