Maharashtra Government has allotted a sum of Rs 57 crore to provide electricity connections for agriculture pumps of farmers in this district in Vidarbha region of the State.
This was announced by Minister of State for Revenue Sanjay Rathod at a press conference here last evening.
All farmers having agriculture pumps will be covered under the package by the end of the current fiscal year, said Rathod, who is also Guardian Minister of the district.
"Taking cognisance of a long-pending demand, the State Government has sanctioned a special package of Rs 57 crore for the district aiming to ensure electricity connections for agriculture pumps of all eligible farmers within a time frame of one year," he added.
Farmers have wells in their farms obtained under different schemes. But they could not bring the water out for agricultural purposes owing to lack of electricity supply to their pumps, the Minister said.
At present, a total of 9,913 applications for power connections to agri pumps are pending in the district, he said.
Rathod said the Government has also earmarked a sum of Rs 100 crore for implementation of the 'Jalayukta Shivar' programme in the district.
Under the scheme, villages are provided with permanent source of water to make them free of scarcity.
As many as 503 out of the 2,050 villages in the district have been initially selected under the scheme and entire Yavatmal would be covered in a phased manner, Rathod added.
