HYDERABAD

The Telangana Northern Power Distribution Company Ltd (TGNPDCL) has introduced a robust safety initiative titled “One Minute Rule”, reaffirming its commitment to the highest standards of employee safety in the power sector.

Under the initiative, employees are required to pause for one minute before commencing any fieldwork to thoroughly assess and ensure that all safety protocols are in place. Chairman and Managing Director of the Discom K. Varun Reddy said on Friday that the “One Minute Rule” would mandate taking a brief but focused pause by every field staff member before starting work to verify that all safety conditions were met. In high-risk environments like electrical operations, even a moment of negligence could lead to serious consequences, he said.

Meanwhile, CMD of Telangana Rythu Power Distribution Company Ltd (TGRPDCL or Rythu Discom) Musharraf Farooqui stated that the State Government was implementing the PM-KUSUM scheme with the objective of strengthening the economic condition of farmers.

Speaking to farmers at a programme organised at Manchal village in Ibrahimpatnam mandal of Rangareddy district, he stated that the State has a renewable energy generation capacity of 10,642 MW now and plans were afoot to increase it to 29,645 MW by 2029–30.

Under the PM-KUSUM, farmers could establish solar power plants with capacities ranging from 0.5 MW to 2.0 MW on their lands. About 3.5 acres of land would be required to set up a 1 MW plant, and small and marginal farmers could also form groups of two or three members to establish such plants jointly.

To encourage participation in the scheme, the State Government is offering several incentives, including exemption from NALA conversion charges, 50% SGST reimbursement, exemption from Pollution Control Board (PCB) NOC and 100% exemption from electricity duty.