TNPDCL drops 50-cent land rule for floriculture, horticulture power connections

CHENNAI: TNPDCL has clarified that farmers and applicants seeking electricity connections exclusively for floriculture and horticulture will not have to meet the minimum 50-cent land requirement, allowing even those with smaller plots to obtain supply under LT Tariff III (A) 1.

The clarification, issued by the Director (Distribution) on Monday, comes after TNPDCL received repeated RTI petitions seeking to know whether connections could be provided for floriculture and horticulture on land measuring less than 50 cents.

TNPDCL said the 50-cent minimum land requirement prescribed under Clause 29 (2) (b) of the TNERC Distribution Code applies to agricultural service connections under LT Tariff IV. It does not have to be insisted upon for connections exclusively meant for floriculture and horticulture.

Accordingly, supply under LT Tariff III (A) 1 can be sanctioned for floriculture and horticulture activities even when the applicant owns less than 50 cents of land, the memo said.

The move is significant for small landholders engaged in intensive cultivation, particularly floriculture and horticulture, where productive activities can be undertaken on relatively smaller parcels of land.

However, TNPDCL has sought to ensure that applicants do not use the relaxed provision to bypass the land requirement applicable to conventional agricultural connections. It has asked its IT wing to introduce a provision in the LT billing system to obtain an undertaking from applicants while registering LT III (A) 1 connections exclusively for floriculture and horticulture.

Under the proposed undertaking, applicants will have to acknowledge that separate options are available for floriculture, horticulture, agriculture and allied activities while registering an LT III (A) 1 application.

They will also have to acknowledge that those seeking LT III (A) 1 supply for agriculture and allied activities must have already registered an agricultural application under LT Tariff IV in the normal category.

TNPDCL reiterated that the 50-cent minimum land requirement continues to apply to agricultural service connections under LT Tariff IV for applications registered from August 5, 2020, in accordance with the TNERC Distribution Code.

WHAT CHANGES

• Floriculture/horticulture: No minimum 50-cent land required for LT III (A) 1 connections

• Agriculture under LT Tariff IV: 50 cents remains the minimum land requirement

• Agriculture and allied activities under LT III (A) 1: Applicant must first have a normal-category agricultural application under Tariff IV

• Undertaking: Applicants seeking LT III (A) 1 exclusively for floriculture and horticulture will have to provide an undertaking confirming awareness of the applicable provisions