Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis announced in the state council that Maharashtra targets providing daytime electricity to all farmers by the end of this year. Currently, 75% of farmers in the state already receive daytime electricity, with plans in place to extend this to the remaining 25%. Responding to queries during Question Hour, Fadnavis assured that Maharashtra does not face any power shortage.
The state ensures that agriculture pumps receive eight hours of daily electricity as per regulations. Fadnavis addressed recent instances of load shedding due to technical glitches in May, emphasizing that there is currently no load shedding in Maharashtra. He highlighted the success of the Solar Agricultural Pump Scheme, with over 10 lakh solar pumps installed in the last three years.
To cater to different terrains, specialized models like Monopole and Booster Pumps are deployed for lifting water from various sources. Special subsidies are provided to farmers in “dark zone” areas with low groundwater levels. Infrastructure projects worth around Rs 25,000 crore are ongoing under the Revamped Distribution Sector Scheme to enhance the state’s power distribution networks.
Maharashtra aims to achieve a power capacity of 78,000 Megawatts by 2031–32, with investments underway for efficient transmission. The state is investing significantly in the transmission sector to meet growing energy requirements. Fadnavis also updated on the “Mumbai Islanding” project to secure the city’s power grid during emergencies and highlighted Maharashtra’s top rank in rooftop solar installations nationwide.
