SRINAGAR: Underscoring the significance of power sector in the economic development of the State, the Minister of State for Power, Mr. Shabir Ahmed Khan Thursday called for necessary reforms to bridge the gap between the energy supply and revenue collection.
The Minister said the government under the dynamic leadership of Chief Minister, Mr. Omar Abdullah, was endeavoring hard to provide power to the people round the clock for both domestic and commercial purposes and for achieving this goal the full collection of tariff is very important. He directed the Power Development Department (PDD) to put in all efforts for ensuring hundred percent revenue collections, instead of mooting curtailment programmes.
Addressing a high level meeting convened here today to discuss issues pertaining to the supply of electricity and collection of revenue, the Minister said that failure or lapse in the revenue collection forces officials to go for curtailment and asked the PDD functionaries no to go for the curtailment option instead of making efforts to realize the revenue and avoid disruption in power supply.
Principal Secretary Power Development Department, Mr. Arun Kumar Mehta, Power Development Commissioner, Mr. M.A Salroo, Secretary Technical Power, Mr. Asgar Ali Majaz, Chief Engineers EM&RE, Kashmir, Mr. Muzafar Ahmed, Chief Engineer System & operations Kashmir, Chief Engineer System and Operations, Mr. Gul Ayaz, Superintendent Engineers and Executive Engineers of different wings of the Department attended the meeting.
The Minister said despite limited resources, the State has to spend over Rs 3100 crore on import of power against a revenue collection of half of this amount which was a matter of great concern and needs immediate attention of the authorities at the helm of affairs.
Shabir urged for a multi -pronged strategy to bring a turnaround in the power sector with emphasis on energetic inspections, 100 percent metering and effective implementation of relevant laws to cap pilferages at various levels as also to affect targeted recoveries precisely.
Jammu and Kashmir is the only State where highest, about 70 percent energy is lost due to power pilferage and T&D losses, Shabir said adding that the States economy cannot afford this huge deficit for a long. The situation demands self introspection and the responsibility lie on the officers, engineers and the field staff of power department, he said.
Principal Secretary, PDD, Mr. Mehta directed concerned engineers to complete all under execution power sector projects well in time for reducing power losses in the division. He directed for re-activating the services of field staff to check and control power pilferage. He stressed for brining all consumers on record and agreement with the department for actual power consumption.
He also instructed that preventive maintenance of power infrastructure should be taken first before damages and asked them not to wait till the minor damage to the power infrastructure becomes a big problem.
He directed for organizing awareness camps in cities and towns for judicious use of energy. He also directed the AEEs and JEs of the department to ensure punctuality at their jurisdictions to check the status of transformers and other infrastructure to save these from damages.
Mehta directed concerned authorities to ensure scheduled power supply to the consumers as they have the right to get proper electricity. He stressed upon all the wings of the department to work in coordinated manner for achieving good results. 2012.
The meeting was informed that 34921 new connections have been registered in the region during last eight month of current fiscal taking the total number to 719908.
The meeting was informed that Power Development Department, Kashmir has registered revenue collection of Rs. 40206.54 lakhs from the consumers of Kashmir Division till ending December, while Rs. 60.24 lacs have been recovered from the defaulters till November.
The meeting was also informed that 4951 new applications were received for revision of load against which 4162.66 KWs load was added in the division.
It was also informed that the checking squads have made 15957 inspections across the division to check illegal connection and power pilferage and imposed a fine of Rs. 169.67 lakhs against which Rs 60.24 lakh have been recovered from the violators
The meeting also took detailed review of under execution works being carried out under RGGVY, R-APDRP and state plan in the division.
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