A notice has been issued to the Jodhpur Vidyut Vitran Nigam Ltd (JDVVNL), Government power distribution company, by Rajasthan Electricity Regulatory Commission (RERC) for failing to provide a minimum six hours of power supply to ground nut growers in 40 villages of Bikaner.
The notice has asked why farmers should not be given proper compensation by the company for damage to their crops.
As captured in Daily Pioneer; last week, Manak Chand Surana, senior BJP leader and former Rajasthan Finance Minister, on behalf of over 2,000 groundnut growers, had filed a petition before the commission.
He asked RERC to direct JVVN to compensate farmers whose crops were damaged for want of power supply to operate tubewells.
The petition noted that JVVN and the State Government had last year promised power to agriculture sector during kharif season — between April and October, 2011. Reassured, many small land-holders had sown groundnuts, which require regular irrigation.
However, power supply was erratic and lasted only half an hour to two hours daily. The petition pointed out that groundnut yield from the area had shrunk from a normal 10 to 12 quintals per bigha to 4 to 5 quintals, according to reports.
RERC has now sought an answer from the Government discom, asking as to why it should not be directed to pay `1,650 per quintal — groundnut’s minimum support price — as compensation, making it directly responsible for the farmers’ losses.
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