Hyderabad: The new year has begun on a happy note for the thousands of employees of electricity organisations in Telangana as the Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao (KCR) announced increments, hailing their role in making the dream of 24-hour power supply to farmers a reality.

For the farmers across Telangana, dependent on groundwater for farming, it was an unforgettable moment when the government started uninterrupted and quality power to 2.3 million agriculture pump sets from 12.01am last night.

At a review meeting with the top officials of the electricity department on Monday, KCR said for just a three-and-a-half-year state it was a “wonderful victory” and “moment of pride”.

“The gigantic task of supplying 24-hour power supply to all the sectors in the state is made possible due to the employees of the electricity organisations in the s, state who pulled the state from power deficit to power sufficient,” he said. Giving credit to electricity employees, he announced the increments.

At the meeting, KCR hugged the chairman of state power generation corporation and power transmission corporation, D Prabhakar Rao, who played a vital role in implementing the government decision.

Telangana is the only state in the country to introduce 24-hour free power supply to farmers. “Though it was not mentioned in the TRS [Telangana Rashtra Samithi] manifesto nor any promise was made, keeping in view the untold misery of the farmers, it was decided to supply 24-hour free power supply,” the Chief Minister said. While the initial target was to start round-the-clock supply from March, KCR said that it was advanced to New Year for the rabi crop. KCR also said he received several congratulatory messages from other states. Prabhakar Ra thanked the CM for announcing special increment for the electricity employees. He said the decision taken by the CM will further inspire the employees and they will work with double the vigour.

While the state was presently meeting the peak demand of 9,500MW, the round-the-clock supply was likely to take the demand to 1,100MW. KCR said that the state was fully geared up to meet the demand.

The availability of power was likely to further improve as a new 800MW thermal plant at Kottagudem Thermal Power Station was likely to synchronise by March. In December, another 1,080MW power generation will also be commissioned, officials said.

Meanwhile the main opposition, Congress, party criticised themove, saying it will be harmful to the interests of small and marginal farmers.

Congress deputy leader in the state assembly, Komatireddy Venkat Reddy, said KCR’s decision will only create problems for small farmers. “It will benefit only the big farmers and land lords,” he told the reporters in Nalgonda. “This is an attempt to divert the attention from the agriculture crisis in the state,” he added.

Congress leader said that only 10-hour power supply will be enough for the farmers and 24-hour supply will lead to over exploitation of groundwater and it will lead to borewells drying up in the future.