No power tariff hike for Guj farmers in past 4 years: Minister

Gujarat government today said that despite a revision in power tariffs for commercial, domestic and other electricity consumers in the state, the rates have remained unchanged for agriculture consumers since the past four years.
"Gujarat government has been providing annual subsidy of Rs 4,500 crore to the power companies in the state to supply electricity to the farmers. Though the power tariffs are revised every year, the rates have remained unchanged for the farmers for the past four years," Gujarat Finance and Energy Minister Saurabh Patel said here today. He was speaking at the inauguration of 'Krishi Mela' at the APMC here.

"The state government has spent Rs 1,500 crore to provide one lakh new power connections to the farmers," Patel said.
The government has also launched various water conservation measures which have benefitted the farmers in the state, he said and claimed, "As a result, the agriculture income has gone up to Rs 1,15,000 crore from Rs 15,000 crore in the past ten years."
According to him, the cotton growers in Gujarat will benefit under the government's new textile policy, according to which these farmers will get remunerative prices for their produce.