Jaya powers up farmers’ pumps
Chief minister J. Jayalalithaa brought cheer to the farmers by announcing an increase in the duration of three-phase power supply for motor pumps in the delta region from nine to 12 hours to facilitate their taking up kuruvai cultivation.
This would ensure the short-term paddy crop to be raised over 1.5 lakh acres. Water from Mettur reservoir, scheduled for release on June 12, was not opened for irrigation owing to meagre storage levels (41.11 tmcft, against the full-level capacity of 120 tmcft).
Ms Jayalalithaa, who chaired a review meeting with top officials here on Saturday, took stock of the situation arising out of low water levels at Mettur and also Karnataka not releasing Tamil Nadu’s due share of water for June.
“From June 17, the delta districts of Thanjavur, Tiruvarur and Nagapattinam, Kulithalai, Musiri and Lalgudi taluks in Tiruchy and Chidambaram and Kattumannarkoil in Cuddalore will be provided 12 hours of electricity for agriculture purpose,” she said after the meeting with chief secretary Debendranath Sarangi, TNEB chairman and other officials.
She also announced a special assistance of Rs125 crore to TNEB for purchasing power besides clearing Rs 2,000 crore as part of its subsidy dues for the year.
As per the new arrangement, power would be ensured for eight hours in the day and four hours at night.
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