Gujarat's Power Push: How a Rs 1,000 Crore Grid Upgrade Will Aid Farmers

The announcement comes as the state moves closer to achieving a key milestone under the Kisan Suryoday Yojana (KSY) - ensuring daytime electricity supply for irrigation to all farmers across Gujarat by March 2026.

Addressing the progress of farmer-centric power reforms, Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel said that nearly 98 per cent of farmers in the state are already receiving electricity during daytime hours, and the remaining farmers will be covered by March next year.

He said the availability of electricity and adequate water supply has completely transformed Gujarat's agricultural landscape, leading to higher productivity and greater prosperity for farmers.

Referring to the vision of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Chief Minister said good governance lies in the transparent implementation of schemes focused on farmers, as India's overall development depends on farmers being prosperous, secure and self-reliant.

He said Gujarat has successfully translated this vision into action through the Kisan Suryoday Yojana. Implemented in 2020, the Kisan Suryoday Yojana was launched to provide electricity to farmers in two time slots between 5 am and 9 pm.

However, based on operational experience and the need to align power supply with daylight hours, the system was later streamlined into a single daytime shift, typically between 7 am and 5 pm.

Officials said this shift has significantly reduced peak-hour load on the grid and enabled better integration of solar energy, making the power supply system more sustainable and reliable.

At present, 17,018 villages--98.66 per cent of villages in Gujarat--are receiving daytime electricity, and 98 per cent of substations have already been converted to daytime operations.

Work is underway to convert the remaining 45 rotational substations, which will bring 231 remaining villages under the scheme.

To support the large-scale rollout of the scheme, the state government has invested Rs 5,353.62 crore so far. This includes the establishment of 40 new substations, construction of 4,640.73 CKM of transmission lines, and strengthening of the distribution network through 3,927.72 CKM of MVCC works.

In addition to GETCO's transmission upgrades planned for 2026-27, the estimated cost for laying AB cables and MVCC works by DISCOMs during the same year stands at Rs 375 crore, officials said.

Farmers across the state have reported significant improvements since the introduction of daytime power supply.

Jayesh Patel, a farmer from Kankrol village in Himmatnagar taluka and Chairman of the Himmatnagar APMC, said that earlier night-time electricity supply made irrigation difficult and unsafe due to the fear of wild animals and water wastage.

"Daytime electricity has solved these problems. We can now irrigate fields at the right time and in the right quantity, saving time and water," he said, expressing gratitude to both the Prime Minister and the Chief Minister on behalf of farmers in the region.

Officials said that with the continued strengthening of the transmission and distribution network, the state government will ensure phased and uninterrupted implementation of the Kisan Suryoday Yojana, providing reliable, sustainable and farmer-friendly daytime power supply across Gujarat.

- IANS