Remodel of power tariff

09/12/2017

Union Power Minister RK Singh has agreed to consider Jammu and Kashmir demands for Central funding to the tune of Rs 7096 crores for construction of power projects in Ladakh, implementing 'Power For All' and Soubhagya schemes by next year and strengthening transmission networks in all rural areas of the State. Singh, who presided over one-day Round Table Conference of Power Ministers of all States and Union Territories in New Delhi today, however, called upon Jammu and Kashmir to bring down Transmission & Distribution losses, remodel power tariff, introduce e-metering, reduce dependence on Centre for power and set up DISCOMS (power distribution companies in the State) as the Centre was shortly going to bring a legislation for imposing penalty on the DISCOMS for "unnecessary disruptions" in power to the people from March 2019. Singh gave the assurances for addition funding of around Rs 7096 crores to the State, in his address, after listening to the demands projected by a high-level State delegation at the Conference of Power Ministers, which was led by Deputy Chief Minister, Incharge Power Development Department, DrNirmal Singh and comprised Commissioner/ Secretary Power Hirdesh Kumar and Officer on Special Duty (OSD) Shakti Pathak.
Jammu and Kashmir had been sanctioned Rs 3632 crores under Prime Minister's Development Plan (PMDP), Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Gram Jyoti Yojana (DDUGJY) and Integrated Power Development Schemes (IPDS) for strengthening power transmission and distribution in villages of the State by upgrading HT< lines, transformers etc. The delegation disclosed that 102 villages in Jammu and Kashmir were without power while the Prime Minister has set deadline of Power for All by December 2018. It assured the Union Power Minister that 38 villages will be provided with electricity by December 2017 and 11 others by March 2018. However, as far as remaining 53 villages were concerned, they required transmission lines as far as 64 kilometers and can be covered by solar poser only for which the State projected demand of Rs 67 crores. Work in some of the areas to meet the targets under Power for All will be executed by the Central companies. The Minister said all the participant states have agreed to provide 24X7 power to all. He further said there would be 100 per cent metering (of electricity supply) and 90 per cent of this would be pre- paid meters. He also said after March 2019, the loss will be capped at 15 per cent for fixation of tariff.

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