Ministry’s officer to act as NO, monitor situation
Sinha briefs Singh on network elements
Centre allocates 1972 MW extra power to UT
Excelsior Correspondent
NEW DELHI, Dec 8: Union Minister of Power, New and Renewable Energy, R K Singh and Lieutenant Governor of J&K, Manoj Sinha co-chaired a high level meeting to review power sector scenario of Jammu and Kashmir.
During the meeting, Principal Secretary, Power Development Department, H. Rajesh Prasad, presented a detailed overview of department’s recent achievements.
It was informed that J&K has taken several proactive steps to ensure sufficient availability of power as a part of both short term and medium term measures. In this direction, PPAs for 2500 MW have been signed during the current year, aiming to double the existing power availability in the UT in coming years.
The Union Minister, while addressing the meeting, said that a senior officer from the Ministry would act as the Nodal Officer, responsible for continuous monitoring of power situation and addressing any gaps from the Central Pool to ensure adequate power supply to J&K.
The Union Minister directed the project implementing agency, RECPDCL to expeditiously implement smart metering, ensuring end to end solution including integration with MDM, enabling pre-paid functionality and other smart features so that benefits of the technology are effectively passed on to the consumers.
He directed the CPSUs engaged in RDSS implementation to promptly award and initiate execution of all projects entrusted to them, recognizing the intended impact of RDSS works in transforming J&K’s power sector.
The Lieutenant Governor apprised the Union Minister of continuance of obsolete wires and other network elements especially in rural areas which cause undue power interruptions.
Meanwhile, a PIB handout said the Central Government has allocated 1,972 MW additional power to Jammu & Kashmir to meet winter electricity demand.
Sinha requested the Union Power Minister for allocating more power to the UT. Singh apprised LG that the Ministry of Power has already allocated 1,500 MW from Central pool to meet the winter requirements of J&K.
Further, 472 MW is also allocated under Shakti policy, for which, Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) with Power department of J&K is proposed to be signed by the end of December 2023.
Overall, 1972 MW of additional allocation has been made by the Central government to take care of the urgent power requirement of the Union Territory, it stated.
The Union Minister called for a comprehensive proposal for the same and assured sufficient funding for system revamping.
Apart from the technical matters, a notable highlight of the meeting was launching of 4E Wave – A Student led National Movement for Energy Conservation by the Union Minister and Lieutenant Governor of J&K.
While launching the 4E Wave, the Union Minister was elated to know that the youth of J&K have taken the initiative to launch a national movement on energy conservation, which holds the potential to make a substantial impact on nation’s energy conservation efforts.
The 4E Wave movement, first of its kind, encapsulates four key elements including eco-friendliness; promoting energy-saving practices that are environmentally friendly, economy; emphasizing energy-saving solutions that lead to economic benefits for individuals and communities, education; focusing on educating the public about energy- saving methods and their importance and empowerment; empowering individuals and communities to take active roles in conserving energy.
The movement strives to promote sustainable practices and instil a sense of responsibility in individuals and communities to save energy.
Originating from the students of Government College of Engineering & Technology (GCET), Jammu, this youth led movement, launched with the support of J&K Power Development Department and Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE), Union Ministry of Power, invited individuals across the nation to contribute to the vital cause of energy conservation.
During the launching ceremony of the 4E wave, a web portal viz. www.4ewave.com was also unveiled by the dignitaries, which will provide an interactive platform to the citizens nationwide for information and resource sharing related to energy conservation.
The user-friendly portal requires a simple registration process for on-boarding in the movement and the participants are provided with certificates of acknowledgment on registration. Any Indian citizen can be a part of this campaign. Beyond this recognition, participants enjoy a wealth of benefits, including personalized energy-saving tips tailored to their consumption patterns, regular updates on latest developments in energy conservation, and a dynamic platform for sharing articles on energy conservation for publication in the e-magazine named ‘e-kshitij’ to be published quarterly. Additionally, the portal will host contests focusing on energy conservation, providing an interactive experience for users.
The Union Minister emphasized that the 4E Wave movement marks a resolute commitment to mitigate the impact of harmful carbon emissions, and paving the way for a sustainable energy future. By actively engaging in the 4E Wave campaign, individuals are not only taking steps toward reducing carbon footprints but are also fostering a collective responsibility for a more sustainable and eco-friendly future. He invited all Indian citizens to be part of this impactful journey toward energy conservation and sustainable future.
The Lieutenant Governor, appreciated the active participation of J&K youth in this noble cause. He commended the efforts of State Designated Agency for Energy Conservation, J&K Power Development Department, Principal GCET Jammu and Director General BEE, MoP for supporting the campaign.
Sinha mentioned that this initiative will significantly contribute towards promoting the National Cause of Energy Conservation and play a crucial role in safeguarding the planet.
Besides, a real time portal, www.dtreportjk.in, for tracking distribution and transformer’s damage status and replacement time was also launched by the dignitaries during the occasion. The portal provides the citizens with the up-to-date information concerning damage status of Distribution Transformers in their respective areas. The portal aligns with the concern of the Lieutenant Governor of J&K, who consistently emphasizes for minimizing the replacement time of damaged DTs in both urban and rural areas, for avoiding inconvenience to the public.
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