PROBLEMS RELATING TO REGULAR SUPPLY OF ELECTRICITY AND ITS IMPACT ON AGRICULTURAL DEVELOPMENT

Electricity plays a vital role in the development of agriculture sector as well as rural economy. It is one of the basic infrastructure facilities necessary for changing rural life. Agriculture sector of Western Maharashtra and Vidarbha region of Maharashtra state is mainly depending on natural factors to a great extent. The fluctuations in climate obviously affect the agricultural production. The fertility of land cannot be maintained for a long time when farmers take repeated cultivation on the same area of land. The price of agricultural production also fluctuates according to seasonal variation. Therefore, in selected districts, sample farmers, in general have to face many difficulties relating to price and non-price factors. Farmers have been facing the problems of availability of finance, marketing, irrigation, fertility of soil, seasonal fluctuations in the level of prices, climate and so forth. The sample farmers are also facing difficulties relating to the electricity. These difficulties or problems are, related to delay in obtaining electric connection, large amount of electric bills, repair of electric instruments, irregular electric supply, low voltage supply of electricity, load shedding etc. In recent times the major problems in rural economy of the selected districts have been poverty, unemployment and burden of debt. Primary attention for creating employment opportunities for the rural people and electricity can play an important role in creating employment opportunities in rural areas. Increase in agriculture income is necessary in order to improve the status of farmers. Having irrigation facility itself may help them to implement modern farm techniques and can bring change in outlook of farmers to bring suitable changes in the agricultural sector. In this chapter, rural electrification in India, an evaluation of energy balance in India and trends in consumption of energy in India has been explained. In this paper an attempt has been made to analysis the regular supply of electricity and its impact on agriculture sector with reference to Western Maharashtra and Vidarbha region of Maharashtra State. Use of electricity in farming activities can be considered as an indication of the modernization in agriculture sector of the economy.