Metro India News | Hyderabad 

Deputy Chief Minister Bhatti Vikramarka said on Monday the Telangana government is moving forward with a multi-pronged strategy to take solar power usage to the grassroots level. He stated that plans have been prepared with the objective of supplying green energy not only to the agriculture sector but also for domestic consumption. 

Despite the initiation of the PM-KUSUM scheme by the Central government nearly ten years ago, its implementation in Telangana was hindered by the previous BRS government's negligence which did not submit the necessary proposals, Bhatti Vikramarka said. He said the Centre is now stating that although the scheme was announced earlier, the state did not utilize it at that time and that funds are currently not available. 

Bhatti Vikramarka informed that the state government is in constant touch with the Centre to secure the maximum possible number of connections under PM-KUSUM. He said the government had also urged the Centre to allocate to Telangana the unutilized quota from other states. "As Telangana is implementing free power, the Centre has been requested to amend certain guidelines to encourage farmers and domestic consumers. 

The state government has allowed Self-Help Group (SHG) women members to form groups and set up solar projects, and has also permitted them to take farmers’ lands on lease to establish such projects," Bhatti Vikramarka said. He pointed out that the Centre has clarified that PM-KUSUM applies only to farmers who cultivate their own land and not to lease farmers and the refusal to extend incentives to such groups has become an obstacle. He further stated that the state government is willing to bear the farmers’ share, and has appealed to the Union Minister to sanction PM-KUSUM connections from the Centre. 

Electricity reforms lighting up farmers' lives: Bhatti

Reiterating that strengthening the power sector and delivering quality services to farmers and the general public is the core objective of the People’s government, Deputy Chief Minister Bhatti Vikramarka said the state is bringing comprehensive reforms in the electricity sector. Bhatti Vikramarka on Monday gave a detailed reply during the Question Hour discussion on the power department in the Legislative Council. 

He explained that while resolving issues accumulated during previous governments, the present government is also taking the electricity department directly to the people by adopting modern technology. From January 2022 to December 2025, all pending applications were reviewed and as many as 3,44,462 farmers were provided with new agricultural power connections, Bhatti said. 

In line with connected load requirements, 75,686 new transformers were installed. Power connections are being given strictly on the basis of seniority, without any discrimination, he clarified. The Deputy Chief Minister assured that transformers will be sanctioned to another 9,700 farmers as soon as line works are completed. Granting nearly 2 lakh additional connections during the last two years (2024 and 2025) itself stands as proof of the government’s commitment, he added. 

To ensure that people no longer have to wait for hours during power interruptions, the Deputy Chief Minister said “electricity ambulances” on the lines of 108 services have been introduced. As soon as a complaint is registered by calling the 1912 toll-free number, a vehicle equipped with mobile transformers, thermal vision cameras, and safety gear boxes reaches the spot.