The demand for power during the rabi sowing season is set to increase in Rajasthan, with the farmers depending on tubewells in their agricultural land for irrigation in the absence of a robust canal system and perennial rivers in the State. There are about 15.70 lakh agricultural power connections in Rajasthan.
The State government’s Energy Department has launched an exercise to assess the demand for electricity at agricultural fields during the next two months to ensure adequate supply to farmers. The rabi crops are generally sown in two phases in the State, first in October-November and later in January-February.
Additional Chief Secretary (Energy) Subodh Agarwal instructed the public sector power discoms in Jaipur, Ajmer and Jodhpur on Wednesday to make an assessment of the potential demand in the rabi season based on the average demand during the corresponding period in the last three years. The three discoms were also asked to prepare their action plan within the next three days.
The present supply of electricity for agricultural power consumers is 10,528 MW against the demand for 11,297 MW, while the demand during the rabi season is likely to soar by 790 MW. The power demand during the peak hours at present has been calculated at 13,864 MW. Discom chairman Bhaskar A. Sawant said the average demand during December last year was 10,533 MW and a roadmap would be prepared for meeting the demand this year.
‘Will meet challenge’
Farmers sow the rabi crops of wheat, barley, gram, mustard, taramira, masoor, pea, flaxseed, sunflower, potato and black mustard during the winter season in different parts of the State. Mr. Agarwal said the discoms, which had worked hard during the recent crisis caused by shortage of coal, would meet the challenge of power management for the agriculture sector.
