Chennai: The Tamil Nadu government has issued a government order to provide free electricity connections to 50,000 farmers in the 2026-27 financial year.
In Tamil Nadu, 55 percent of the total irrigated area receives irrigation water through rivers without any charge. For the remaining 45 percent of the land, electricity charges have to be paid to draw water for irrigation from wells and borewells. Therefore, taking into account the increase in production costs, the free electricity scheme was implemented.
Waiting for electricity connections: Accordingly, 23.65 lakh electricity connections have already been provided under the free agricultural electricity scheme. In addition, more than 4 lakh farmers have booked and are waiting, from the regular scheme to the paid scheme. Similarly, in 2023, 12,566 farmers paid Rs. 250 crore and were waiting under the Tatkal scheme, while in 2025, 47,554 farmers have applied under Tatkal and are waiting.
In this situation, Electricity Minister C.T.R. Nirmalkumar had announced in the recently concluded Legislative Assembly session that 50,000 new free agricultural electricity connections would be provided in the current financial year.
Accordingly, the Tamil Nadu government has issued a government order for new free electricity connections. A total of 50,000 connections are to be provided, including 3,215 free connections for categories including the backward classes, 16,785 connections in the general category, 3,372 connections under the self-financing scheme, 25,282 (tatkal) connections under the fast-track electricity connection scheme, and 1,346 connections under various government schemes.
At an average cost of Rs. 1.5 lakh per connection, agricultural electricity connections will be provided and infrastructure work will be carried out at a total cost of Rs. 750 crore. In addition, the government will provide a subsidy of Rs. 127.56 crore per year for agricultural electricity connections.
Investigation into irregularities: Meanwhile, the government has instructed the Electricity Board to investigate whether there are any irregularities in the already issued agricultural power connections and to remove connections that are being misused. The already issued 7,313 connections are also included in the target of 50,000 connections.
Anbumani welcomes it: Meanwhile, PMK leader Anbumani has welcomed the announcement of free electricity connections. In a statement he issued on this, he said, ‘‘An order has been issued to provide free agricultural power connections in various categories to 50,000 people in Tamil Nadu this year. It is also welcome that the government itself will bear the subsidy of Rs. 127.56 crore for this.
More than 4 lakh farmers are waiting for free electricity connections. At present, only 40,000 free electricity connections are being provided annually. This is not enough. The number should be increased to 1 lakh per year,” he said.