| Author | Rajagopalan, Meera |
| Call Number | AIT Diss. no.HS-93-02 |
| Subject(s) | Rural electrification--India--Andhra Pradesh
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| Note | A dissertation submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the award of the degree of Doctor of Philosophy, School of Engineering and Technology |
| Publisher | Asian Institute of Technology |
| Series Statement | Dissertation ; no. HS-93-02 |
| Abstract | India has invested considerably in rural electrification both as an element in its basic needs program and in the effort to raise productivity and employment opportunities in rural areas. This strategy has been beneficial to some extent but the program is now extending to more marginal agricultural regions as the government of India has laid stress on the development of the dry regions. Most detailed studies so far have concentrated on regions well endowed with irrigation facilities. The broad objective of the study was to assess the impact of rural electrification on rural and regional development in general in the context of a backward rainfed region in India, that is, Koilkonda Mandal in Mahbubnagar District in the State of Andhra Pradesh. The more specific objectives included assessing the impact of the provision of electricity on the productive sectors of the economy, namely, agriculture, industries and services. Besides the effect of electrification at the household level was another factor examined. The focus was on the underprivileged groups in the rural areas, that is, marginal and small farmers, landless labour and women. In order to assess the impact and the problems and constraints in dryland regions, a cross sectional quantitative analysis of farm households using different modes of irrigation, that is, electric pumpsets, diesel engines and the traditional mhote was adopted to assess the impact of electrification on production, income and employment in the farm sector. The case study method was adopted for analysing the impact on industries and services. This was supplemented by extensive discussions with the respondents and key persons involved in the rural electrification program. This micro level study has indicated certain policy issues which have a bearing on the direction of the rural electrification program. The results of the study indicate that the number of households obtaining electricity connections at the household level remains low. Among those who have connected, it is the relatively well off, that is, the large farm households who do so. Even among these, electricity is mainly used for lighting. It therefore requires policy interventions in raising the number of households utilising electricity. The impact of electrification has been maximum in the farm sector. The use of electricity for irrigation pumping has resulted in an increase in area cultivated, production, employment and income. The households using electric pumpsets had an advantage over those using diesel engines and the mhote in the form of higher yields and net returns per acre. The benefits of electrification have largely been enjoyed by the large farm households due to the better resources at their disposal. However the marginal and small farm households have also been able to derive certain advantages in the form of access to assured irrigation, a lower cost of cultivation and increased opportunities of employment as wage labour. The use of electricity has resulted in changes in cropping pattern, increases in area under crops and farm production. These have in turn led to an increase in the use of inputs including labour. Use of hired labour for farm operations was higher in farms using electric pumpsets than those using diesel engines and mhotes. The benefits of additional employment due to the use of electric pumpsets would be significant for hired labour and female hired labour. This is due to the possibility of bringing additional area under irrigation and the fact that high value yielding crops like paddy and groundnut require hired labour particularly female hired labour for important operations. It also has implications for the landless since the incidence of landlessness is higher among women in the study area. The landless benefit indirectly from the use of electricity in the farm sector. Discussions with the landless revealed that opportunities of employment had increased due to the sheer increase in the number of electric pumpsets. The advantages of electrification over other sources of energy particularly diesel to a large extent have been due to the subsidies offered in the use of electricity in the form of low tariffs. In Andhra Pradesh the flat rate system of tariffs prevails under which the households are charged a fixed rate on the basis of the horsepower used. This is irrespective of the number of units of power consumed. The rate of tariff thus worked out to five paise per unit where as it costs 70 paise per unit to the State Electricity Board to supply electricity. Electrification has had a limited impact on industries and services. The few industries existing in the study area are predominantly agro based like rice-cum-flour mills, saw mills, oil expelling unit and chilli grinding units. These units were small in size in terms of investments as well as employment. Infact almost all the units were being managed by household members with the occasional hiring of extra hand by the oil expelling unit during peak seasons. Similarly it has not resulted in the development of a wide range of services. Even to the limited extent it is used, it is mainly for lighting purposes. A recurring problem at all levels, that is, household use, farm operations and in industries is the frequent interruptions of power supply and voltage fluctuations. The Andhra Pradesh State Electricity Board (APSEB) has to think seriously of adding to its generation capacity and improve the maintenance of the supply system. |
| Year | 1993 |
| Corresponding Series Added Entry | Asian Institute of Technology. Dissertation ; no. HS-93-02 |
| Type | Dissertation |
| School | School of Engineering and Technology (SET) |
| Department | Department of Civil and Infrastucture Engineering (DCIE) |
| Academic Program/FoS | Human Settlement (HS) |
| Chairperson(s) | Demaine, Harvey; |
| Examination Committee(s) | Amin, A.T.M.N.;Weber, Karl .E.;Edelman, David .J.;Bradnock, Robert W.; |
| Scholarship Donor(s) | Government of Australia;Danish Agency for International Development (DANIDA); |
| Degree | Thesis (Ph.D.) - Asian Institute of Technology, 1993 |