Sanjeev Pargal
JAMMU, June 30: Concerned over huge gap between power revenue and purchase and shortfall of electricity supply despite huge power generation potential in Jammu and Kashmir, the Central Government has constituted joint team of Union Power Ministry and State Government officials to suggest measures for rejuvenation of entire power system, provide 24×7 power supply to two rotational capital cities of Jammu and Srinagar, improve infrastructure and ensure adequate supply of power in remote and far off areas.
Official sources told the Excelsior that Union Minister for Power Piyush Goel has asked the team to submit report within three weeks, which will be taken up for consideration by him in the month of August this year during another high level review meeting exclusively for Jammu and Kashmir to see what steps the Central Government can take for improvement of power generation and supply in the entire State including the capital cities, which face prolonged power cuts when summer and winter are at their peak.
The high level joint team comprised Union Joint Secretary Power Jyoti Arora, Central Electricity Authority Managing Director, Principal Secretary Power, J&K, Sandeep Naik, Chief Engineers (Power) Jammu wing and Kashmir wing and Chief Engineer (System and Operations) Kashmir.
Sources said both the Central and State Governments were deeply concerned over nearly Rs 6000 crores worth liabilities the J&K Government was facing on account of electricity and the joint team of Centre and State Governments has been assigned the task of taking measures to cover the liabilities and recommend steps—both for short term and long term—to overcome huge power losses and take steps to meet power requirements of the State on its own.
“The State Government has been purchasing electricity worth Rs 4000 crores almost every year but against it, the Government was getting less than Rs 2000 crores worth revenue, leading to huge gap between revenue and purchase bill,’’ sources said. In addition to this, Jammu and Kashmir has also been facing huge losses on account of Transmission and Distribution.
According to sources, the Centre proposed to ensure that each and every village of Jammu and Kashmir was connected with electricity, round-the-clock power supply is provided to capital cities of Jammu and Srinagar and to the extent all other districts, steps required to improve electricity generation, reduce Transmission and Distribution losses, which were around 60 per cent, lay down new electricity supply lines (to begin with from cities and towns followed by villages), reduce the liabilities, increase revenue on account of electricity supply to the consumers and steps required to tap vast potential of power generation in the State.
“The Central Government has also advised the State to put in place proper and systematic tariff management plan, which was only option to improve power revenue in the State,’’ they said.
The Centre has suggested to the State Government to change electricity lines to check pilferage and install meters of standard quality. The Government of India was ready to help the State Government in initiating reforms to improve power revenue and supply, sources said.
Sources said the Union Power Minister has directed the joint team of Centre and State Governments to sit together and finalize their report within three weeks suggesting both short term and long term measures to improve power supply in the State and modernize the power network. The Union Minister will review power supply position of Jammu and Kashmir in the month of August after obtaining the report of the high level joint committee.
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