Governor for taking benefit of flagship central schemes to improve JK’s power scenario

Union Power Minister lauds State’s impressive performance in coverage of unelectrified villages

SRINAGAR, SEPTEMBER 06: Governor Satya Pal Malik today called for taking maximum benefit from the flagship power sector schemes of the Government of India to ensure tangible improvement in electricity supply to the consumers in the State.

“With adequate central funding available under various schemes for universal power coverage, the state’s Power Development Department (PDD) should take every measure to extend electricity supply to the remotest corners of the State,” Governor said while jointly reviewing with the Union Minister of State for Power (Independent Charge), R K Singh progress on implementation of flagship central power sector schemes in the State at a high-level meeting at SKICC here today.

Governor desired that PDD should make judicious and timely use of the available funds to ensure augmentation of power generation and upgradation of transmission and distribution network in the State.

He desired that PDD should ensure uninterrupted power supply especially during festivals and examinations of the students in the areas which are facing recurrent power woes.  He asked the PDD to ensure round-the-clock electricity supply to at least such areas which are covered under cent percent metering and where the revenue realization is above 95%.

Advisor to Governor, B B Vyas, Chief Secretary, BVR Subrahmanyam, Union Joint Secretary Power (Distribution), Arun Verma,CMD, Rural Electrification Corporation, PV Ramesh, CMD, Power Finance Corporation, Rajiv Sharma, CMD, Power Grid Corporation of India Ltd, IS Jha, CMD, NHPC, Balraj Joshi, Financial Commissioner & Chairman, CVPPPL, KB Aggarwal, Principal Secretary Finance, Navin Kumar Choudhary, Principal Secretary to Governor, Umang Narula, Principal Secretary, Planning, Development & Monitoring, Rohit Kansal, OSD in PMO (SAUBHAGYA), PS Ahmad, Commissioner/Secretary PDD, Hirdesh Kumar,  Secretary Science & Technology, Sheikh Fayaz Ahmad, Development Commissioner, Power J&K, Executive Director, IRCON, Subash Chand, HoDs of PDD and other senior officers attended the meeting.

Governor and the Union Minister took a detailed review of R-RAPDRP, SAUBHAGYA, IDP, PMDP, DDUGJY and RGGVY and sought project-wise details regarding implementation of each scheme.

Speaking on the occasion, Union Power Minister complimented the Jammu and Kashmir Government for making remarkable progress over the past few months in meeting targets on electrification of unelectrified villages. He said the encouraging momentum needs a renewed push to ensure tangible overall improvement in electricity supply scenario through upgradation of basic power infrastructure in the State.

“Pestering power crisis has been one of the major areas of concern in J&K and the Central Government is ready to walk extra mile by way of whatever support is needed to end this lingering problem in the State,” he said.

The Union Minister called for expediting the measures to overcome the power scarcity in the State with a sense of urgency and in a coordinated manner. He underlined the need for upgrading overall power infrastructure in a time-bound manner with focus on augmenting generation in the state sector, improving transmission and distribution network, bringing down T&D losses and expeditious completion of on-going schemes.  At the same time, he said, concerted efforts should be made to improve revenue realization and check pilferages through technological interventions including installation of smart metres.

The Minister said that it was heartening to note that individual domestic consumers in J&K are the biggest contributors to the state’s power revenues.

He said the endeavour of the Government of India to provide electricity to every household by March 2019 and it is satisfying to note that Jammu and Kashmir is ahead of schedule in achieving the targets. He called for giving wide publicity to the achievements in this regard through print and electronic media so that the people across the country know about the impressive performance of J&K Government on this front. He ordered release of Rs 200 crore to J&K for meeting the immediate requirements under SAUBHAGYA scheme.

The Union Minister assured adequate funds for replacement of outlived power infrastructure, adding that efficient infrastructure is must for efficient energy and directed the Commissioner/Secretary PDD, J&K to immediately undertake such exercise and carryout upgradation of worn-out infrastructure.

To give grid connectivity to Gurez and Tulail Valleys, the Union Minister also given his approval for undertaking a double circuit 132kV line on tower structures from Bandipora to Dawarin Gurez and single circuit 132kV line from Dawarto Tulail and two no. 132/33kV sub stations, 20 MVA each at Gurez and Tulail under PMDP at a tentative cost of Rs. 294.63 Cr as proposed by the State Government.

Commissioner/Secretary Power, Hirdesh Kumar Singh in power point presentation gave overview of the status of on-going projects. He informed that all 102 un-electrified villages have been electrified before the stipulated timeline under DDUGJY and RGGVY XII thus covered over 98 per cent villages and rest will be covered by ending December, 2018, he added.

It was informed that under R-APDRP Rs. 504.54 crore were received out of which Rs 367. 88 crore spent till 31-08-2018. Similarly, under IPDS Rs 37.99 crore were received out of which Rs 6.33 crore incurred. Under IPDS (PMDP-Urban), Rs 327.67 crore received and Rs 11.42 spent. Under DDUGJY an amount of Rs 117.29 crore received and Rs 40.41 crore spent. Under SAUBHAGYA Rs 34.02 received and Rs 21.55 spent. Under DDUGJY (PMDP-Rural) an amount of Rs. 179.75 crore received and Rs. 12.89 crore by ending August, 2018.