Maharashtra’s farmers prepare for battle against prepaid power meters

Now several districts in the State were facing scarcity conditions due to below normal rainfall. Those losing their hope were ending their lives.

Hyderabad: A major battle is on the cards in Maharashtra’s farm fields, with farmers of the State demanding for Telangana’s free power supply model on one side and the Eknath Shinde government preparing to dish out the smart card-based Modi model of power supply.

Plans are afoot to install smart prepaid meters in four regional divisions of the State in Pune, Aurangabad, Nagpur and Konkan at a projected cost of Rs.15,000 crore in the first phase of the Centre’s Revised Distribution Area Scheme (RDSS). Mahavitaran, a subsidiary of the Maharashtra State Electricity Board that has floated tenders for this purpose is in the eye of a storm now.

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Being the largest electricity distribution utility in the country, Mahavitaran’s shift to prepaid meters for supplying power would make a big impact, more so, on the farm sector. The appointment of advanced metering infrastructure (AMI) service providers is likely to be finalized soon. Though the State Electricity Regulatory Commission had approved the move a long ago, it remained a non-starter.

However, the State government is now preparing to make it a reality. It is being suggested that the consumers can be given the choice to opt for the smart meter or not. But the automatic power disconnection facility would be common for all those who fail to pay the bill. It is going to be a major shocker for the farmers, since the smart meter will cost Rs.2600 each, which will be a burden for farmers.

It is beyond their means to buy one for their residential service and the second one for the power service at the farm, farm union leaders say, adding that farmers in the Marathwada region were becoming restive over the issue and were going to oppose it by all means.

Maharashtra BRS Kisan Cell president Manik Kadam said farmers were already in desperation with the poor quality power. Though the supply is restricted to seven hours a day, frequent disruptions in supply have left farmers in the lurch. Now several districts in the State were facing scarcity conditions due to below normal rainfall. Those losing their hope were ending their lives. Some five to six farmers were dying by suicide every day as their crops were withering along with their hopes, he said.

A BRS Kisan Cell delegation led by Kadam visited the family of a farmer, Vasant Rao Muthkude, who died by suicide at Nandapur village of Parbhani district on Thursday.

“The condition of farmers is fast deteriorating. We are planning a massive protest rally at the office of the District Magistrate office, Parbhani on August 22,” he said.

Curbs on BRS Meetings

With the BRS fast gaining ground in the State, officials are reportedly imposing curbs at the behest of the ruling coalition. People at the helm of affairs in the State are highly apprehensive of the BRS, senior party leader Shankar Anna Dhondge said.

A similar protest rally organised in Nanded on August 14 was not given permission till the last minute, with officials even imposing prohibitory orders under Section 144.
Undeterred by such repressive measures, people are attending the BRS meetings in a big way, he added.