The impact of the free electricity program and farmer attitudes: A study from the Telangana State of India
Chittedi Krishna Reddy  1@  , Mohammed Shameem P@
1 : University of Hyderabad

The preconceived notions on Indian farmers' attitudes towards the habituated production input subsidies are revisited. The 24-hour free electricity program in Telangana state of Southern India is analyzed from the perspective of farmers at the receiving end. The study is based on a field survey conducted in the Nalgonda district of the state after the completion of three years of the program. The primary survey result shows that farmers are driven by the promises of the government of free electricity supply and replacing their automatic motor pumps with manual motor pumps. The farmers' attitude and consumption behaviour of free electricity endorses the success of government awareness drives and the possible sustainability of the program in the state in which they are satisfied. Even after three years of the program, the prevalence of motor pumps with the power of 5 HP and usage for 6 hours or less inscribes the sensibility of farmers in Telangana state. The willingness to accept usage-based tariffs and concern for electricity conservation in the absence of any incentive indicates a drastic change in the attitude of Indian farmers towards freebies.


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