Free power to handlooms, power-looms to be rolled out from April 1 in Andhra Pradesh

The Andhra Pradesh Government has announced a major welfare measure for the handloom and power-loom sector, rolling out free electricity as promised in the National Democratic Alliance’s (NDA) 2024 joint manifesto.  

Presenting the Budget for 2026–27, Finance Minister Payyavula Keshav said the scheme will come into effect from April 1, 2026, providing up to 200 units of free power per month to handloom weavers and 500 units to power-loom units.  

The promise was originally made in the joint manifesto released by the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) and the Jana Sena Party (JSP) ahead of the 2024 elections.  

The Minister stated that more than one lakh families engaged in weaving activities are expected to benefit from the new scheme, which aims to reduce input costs and revive the traditional textile sector.  

The free power initiative for looms will be implemented in addition to existing electricity subsidy programmes for farmers, Scheduled Castes (SCs), Scheduled Tribes (STs), Backward Classes (BCs) and minorities.  

Under the Energy Department’s Outcome Budget indicators, assistance to the Transmission Corporation of Andhra Pradesh Limited (Andhra Pradesh TRANSCO Limited) for agricultural and allied subsidy is estimated at ₹12,832 crore for 2026–27. This includes nine hours of free power supply to 20.86 lakh agricultural consumers.  

It also presented another assistance to Andhra Pradesh TRANSCO Limited, for providing subsidy to aquaculture farmers, with an estimation of ₹890 crore for about 49,200 consumers. 

The Scheduled Castes Component Plan provides nine-hour free power to 71,893 SC farmers, while the Scheduled Tribal Sub Plan covers 29,029 ST beneficiaries. In the Social Welfare sector, ₹300 crore has been earmarked to provide free electricity up to 200 units per month to 16.44 lakh SC households under the Jagjeevan Jyothi scheme.

For ST households, ₹100 crore has been allocated to reimburse electricity charges for five lakh beneficiaries, with subsidies covering up to 200 units per month for domestic consumers.  

The Industries and Commerce Department has also allocated funds for handloom and textile promotion, while 10,534 power-loom consumers are expected to benefit from a 50 per cent power tariff concession during the financial year.

The Finance Minister, in his Budget speech also indicated that a free power up to 200 units has been extended to Nayee Brahmin saloons under BC welfare measures.  

The Minorities Action Plan reiterates continued assistance to the Transmission Corporation for subsidised electricity to the agriculture sector, ensuring affordable power supply and supporting sustainable growth in farming and allied activities.  

With the latest announcement, the State Government has positioned free electricity as a cornerstone of its welfare and industrial support strategy, with handloom and power-loom workers emerging as the newest beneficiaries.