Nishikant Khajuria
JAMMU, Oct 6: Notwithstanding the consumption of almost an equal amount of power in both the divisions of the State, Jammu continues to pay more in comparison to Kashmir as revenue collection from this region is far more than the realization in Valley during first five months of the current financial year.
Official sources told the Excelsior that more than Rs 370.55 crores were realized as power revenue from Jammu upto August month of the financial year 2015-16 whereas on the other hand, only Rs 297.69 crores could be collected from Kashmir Valley during this period.
Even as the ratio of power consumption in both the divisions is almost 51:49 during these five months, the revenue realization from Jammu is around 25 percent more than Kashmir, sources added.
While elaborating, sources said that total 590 million units of electricity was consumed in the State up to ending September month of the ongoing financial year. Out of this, Jammu consumed 298.40 million units while 289.85 million units were consumed in Kashmir Valley.
However, in respect of revenue realization for the power consumed here, Jammu people paid Rs 370.55 crores whereas only 297.69 crores were realized from Kashmir Valley by Commercial Wing of the Power Development Department.
Even as the revenue realization in Kashmir is 20 percent more than the corresponding period of last year, it is still far less than Jammu, sources informed.
According to the figures of Commercial and Survey Wing of the PDD, total revenue realization against the power consumed across J&K State in the year 2014-15, was Rs 173673.458 lacs.
While revenue of Rs 102171.72 lacs was realized from Jammu province, Rs 69485.67 lacs only were collected in Kashmir Valley on the account of power usage. Leh contributed Rs 2016.06 lacs as revenue realization during the last year.
Even as the Power Development Department (PDD) had fixed Rs 3508.62 crore worth revenue target for the financial year of 2014-15, the realization was only Rs 1736 crore, which was less than 50 per cent of the fixed target.
Reasons for widening gap between power purchase bill and the revenue realization, include; low tariff for sale of power, high transmission and distribution losses (around 60 percent) and un-controlled and un-accounted consumption of power beyond the agreement load by the consumers.
Although the process of installing Electronic Meters was introduced several years back, metering of all the consumer installations is yet to take time.
When contacted, Deputy Chief Minister Dr Nirmal Singh, who hold the charge of Power Department in J&K, admitted that Transmission and Distribution losses in Kashmir Valley are more in comparison to Jammu even as the authorities have succeeded to reduce the same around six percent during the last few months. “Besides giving targets for revenue realization, special instructions have been made to concerned authorities to check T&D losses and we are hopeful to further reduce the same around 40 percent by the end of this financial year,” he added.
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