Tamil Nadu government urged to fast‑track free farm power scheme amid farmer distress

Chennai, August 9 – In a press interaction, PMK leader Ambumani Ramdas condemned the Tamil Nadu government and TNPDC for not adhering to the stipulated timelines for the "Immediate Farm Power Connection Scheme." He noted that the scheme was intended to provide free electricity to farming pump sets, a necessity for regions heavily reliant on groundwater, which makes up nearly half of the state's irrigated area. The minister disclosed that more than four lakh farmers are still waiting for their promised power connections. He emphasized that 60,120 farmers have already deposited sums between ₹2.5 lakh and ₹4 lakh, amounting to over ₹1,250 crore, while another 12,566 applicants contributed an additional ₹250 crore last year. Despite the rule that connections should be granted within 15‑90 days of application, recent beneficiaries have faced an eight‑month wait with no power supplied. Many had to borrow at high interest rates, assuming the connection would be operational before the Kharif sowing season. The delay has led to skipped or sub‑optimal irrigation, amplifying debt and jeopardizing harvests. Ambumani called for immediate corrective action, demanding that the state direct TNPDC to process all pending applications without further postponement.