*Govt asked to reduce power purchase bill, losses
Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Mar 24: Union Minister for Power Piyush Goel today set October 2017 deadline for Jammu and Kashmir Government for electrification of all villages in the State and offered help of Power Grid Corporation of India Limited (PGICL) in implementing the prestigious scheme of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The deadline was set at a high-level meeting chaired by Goel in New Delhi this afternoon to review implementation of Centrally Sponsored Schemes and power scenario in Jammu and Kashmir during which he called for 24×7 electricity supply in twin capital cities of the State-Jammu and Srinagar, industrial areas and other specific belts, which were covered with 100 per cent smart metering and giving good revenue.
Official sources told the Excelsior that Goel called upon Jammu and Kashmir Government to attain self-sufficiency in power production and reduce dependence on Northern Grid and other sources of power purchase, which were increasing power purchase bills of the State that could touch around Rs 5000 crores this year.
The meeting among others was attended by Deputy Chief Minister, Incharge Power, Dr Nirmal Singh, Union Power Secretary Pradeep Kumar Pujari, Union Joint Secretary for Power Arun Kumar Verma, Union Secretary and Joint Secretary for New and Renewable Energy, Commis-sioner/ Secretary, Power, J&K Dheeraj Gupta, Officer on Special Duty (OSD) Shakti Pathak, Development Commi-ssioner Power CP Gulera and all Chief Engineers of Power in J&K.
Entire power scenario in Jammu and Kashmir came up for a high-level review during the meeting. The officers from Jammu and Kashmir briefed the Union Power Minister on the problems on account of power generation, power purchase, power supply and Transmission and Distribution losses.
Sources said Goel assured the J&K Government of full funding for Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s prestigious flagship scheme of electrification of entire country and set October 2017 deadline to ensure that all villages in the State were electrified by that date. However, if some isolated and remote areas are still left, Goel asked the State Government to seek the help of Power Grid Corporation of India Limited, which has experienced and well-trained staff for electrification of far-off villages.
He called upon the J&K Government officers to maintain liaison with the Power Grid officials and take their help wherever it was required. He directed the Grid officials to help the State in achieving the goal of electrification of all by October this year.
According to sources, the Power Minister assured the State Government that funding was no problem in achieving the target and funds would continue to flow to meet the timeline. The `Electricity for All’ is a Centrally Sponsored Scheme and fully funded by the Centre in which the State Government didn’t have to contribute any share, which is mandatory in other Centrally Sponsored Schemes.
Sources said the State Government officials explained to the Union Power Minister that there were 108 villages, which were un-electrified in Jammu and Kashmir. They told the Minister that the villages have been identified and necessary measures were put-in place to electrify them.
The Government officers were of the view that if some villages are still left after October 2017, the Jammu and Kashmir Energy Development Agency (JKEDA), which works under Science and Technology Department will be asked to take up the villages for solar energy.
Sources said Piyush Goel while reviewing power scenario in Jammu and Kashmir stressed that capital cities in the State, Jammu and Srinagar, industrial areas, hospitals and other buildings of essential services should be supplied with 24×7 power supply for development and betterment.
“In the phases, steps should be taken to cover entire State with round-the-clock electricity supply,” he said.
The Union Power Minister also called upon the Government to further reduce Transmission and Distribution Losses, which though have come down during past two years. The T&D losses continued to hover around 60 per cent.
Sources said the Power Minister wanted the State Government to reduce the gap between power purchase bill and revenue generation in view of vast gap between the two. In this connection, he suggested some steps to be taken by the Government.
Sources said Deputy Chief Minister Dr Nirmal Singh and officers of his Department gave a detailed briefing to the Union Power Minister on working of the Power Development Department in the State.
Follow our WhatsApp channel