All Governments in the State find themselves beset with power woes. Various pretexts are forwarded to justify why there are recurring power cuts or why there is power failure or why we have perennial power shortages. There may be sound reasons, no doubt. However, that does not mean that we remain content with what is there and not try to improve it or at least understand that we are running an obsolete infrastructure of our power sector. Why policy planners fail to demonstrate vision and initiative, and who is to infuse these into the working of the PDD? We are accustomed to the patent rhetoric and we are almost reconciled to what we are facing in power sector.
The fundamental question is why the State of Jammu and Kashmir is not responding to the initiatives, schemes and projects devised and sponsored by the Union Government to take various steps that would lead to considerable improvement of power sector in the states including ours. Hindsight shows that more often than not the State Government has failed to implement most of the innovative and reformative schemes devised by the Union Government. We are at a loss to understand the reasons for the State Government to soft play with all these proposed projects and leave the state power situation to it fate. It is painful to imagine that the State of Jammu and Kashmir intentionally and deliberately avoids implementing Central schemes for improvement of power sector.
On October 16, 2014, Prime Minister launched two schemes named Deendayal Upadhyaya Gram Jyoti Yojana (DUGJY) and Integrated Power Development Scheme (IPDS) for rural and urban areas of the country.
While DUGJY is aimed at feeder separation, strengthening of sub-transmission and distribution networks, metering at all level in the rural areas and village electrification as per the approved guidelines, the IPDS aims at strengthening of sub-transmission and distribution network, metering of distribution transformers, feeders and consumers in the urban areas and Information Technology enablement of distribution sector. We note that these schemes came into being after a thorough study of power supply situation in the country. Like many other States, J&K also stands in need of addressing these issues on war footing. It is true that a system is built up and these schemes are to go through a process in which the States have to do much of homework before the final stage of grant of funds is reached. All this is linked with the technicalities of power supply. In simplest words the underlying objectives of these schemes is to ensure uninterrupted and energy access to all. The preliminary stage of the project is to prepare Need Assessment Document (NAD). With this in hand, the State would approach Nodal Agencies—REC and PFC for further action. While most of the States in the country either have completed or are in the process of completing the NAS, our State has yet not shown any progress in the completion of the study although two nodal officers are appointed for this task.
After the present Government took over, it categorically stated that power sector was a priority. That is what previous regimes, too, have been telling. However, on the ground, we find little activity to show that the sector is treated on priority. Since long, PDD has been complaining about obsoleteness of transmission lines and the loss of power, first by pilferages and second by using outdated and obsolete transmission lines. Now, if the two schemes floated by the Prime Minister promise to take care of these two and other problems, why J&K Government should not have welcomed the new schemes and taken hasty steps to respond to them. Are not people in our State crying about power woes? Many far flung rural villages and localities in the State remain plunged in darkness for most part of the day and the week and nobody listens to their grievances. The twin schemes of the Prime Minister also envisage separation of agriculture and non-agriculture feeders facilitating judicious supply of power to agricultural and non-agricultural consumers in the rural areas, strengthening and augmentation of sub-transmission and distribution and rural electrification.
Our power supply system is obsolete and out dated. It will work no more. If we are caring for our future generation, then we must show that we are responsive to innovations and new initiatives. There is no other way to overcome the power crisis in the State.
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