Rajamahendravaram: The coalition government led by Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu is committed to providing uninterrupted and hassle-free power supply to people across all regions and sections of society, said State Energy Minister Gottipati Ravikumar.

He reviewed the functioning of the power department with officials in Rajamahendravaram on Wednesday. During the meeting, the minister discussed several key issues and issued directions to the officials. He reviewed the progress of central schemes like PM Surya Ghar, PM-KUSUM, and RDSS works in the district.

He instructed officials to create awareness about the Surya Ghar and KUSUM schemes among the public at the grassroots level and expedite the implementation process. He directed officials to ensure agricultural power connections are granted to all farmers who have applied. Speaking to the media after the review, Minister Ravikumar said the government is taking special measures to address power outages and low voltage issues on a large scale. He announced that new substations will be set up in critical areas, along with additional transformers and required power lines. He also directed the department to start preparations for the 2027 Godavari Pushkaralu from now.

The minister strongly criticised the previous YSRCP government, alleging that the energy sector was completely weakened during their five-year rule. He condemned the false narratives being spread by some individuals regarding the current status of the power sector and about smart meters. Since the formation of the new coalition government, over 75,000 agricultural connections have been issued so far, which reflects the government’s sincerity towards farmers’ welfare, he added. To overcome power-related issues, the minister said additional staff will be appointed wherever necessary. He assured that complaints from industrial and commercial sectors are being promptly investigated and resolved. Minister Ravikumar urged power department staff to bring operational and administrative challenges directly to his attention for immediate resolution.

District collector P Prasanthi, MLAs Gorantla Butchaiah Chowdary, Nallamilli Ramakrishna Reddy, Battula Balaramakrishna, SE K Tilak Kumar, and other officials attended the meeting.