In order to provide adequate power supply to the people in Jammu during summer season, Deputy Chief Minister, Dr. Nirmal Singh today directed the engineers of Power Development Department to identify the critical areas and devise a mechanism to reduce scheduled power cuts and avoid unscheduled curtailments.The Deputy CM issued these directions while chairing a meeting to review the status of revenue realization, metering process, transmission losses, AT&C losses, and gap between ACS and AR, besides taking stock of the progress under DDUGJY, RAPDRP, IPDS, rural and urban electrification and other centrally sponsored schemes.Dr Singh was informed in the meeting that the department has realized revenue of Rs. 2,100 crore in 2017-18 in Jammu, registering an increase of 8-10 per cent from the previous year.It was informed in the meeting that there are more than 8 lakh connections in the division but only five lakh are metered.Dr Singh directed the engineers to start mapping of the state on the basis of ration cards and reduce the gap between ration cards and power connections in the division. He called for taking up target-based works and rewarding those who complete the targets within the set timelines.
Expressing concern over the loss of lives while carrying out repairing works on the transmission lines, the Deputy CM directed for providing proper safety kit to every worker dealing with the transmission lines on the ground.The meeting was informed that Gram Swaraj Divas would be observed in the state on April 28 under which 20000 connections have to be installed under Pradhan Mantri Saubhagya Yojana (PMSY).Later, the Deputy CM also launched UrjaVistar mobile application which would help the department in conducting survey of electrified and unelectrifed households and providing free connections to the poor under PMSY.The Deputy CM asked for developing a mobile application for registering the complaints of power thefts online and directed for creating awareness among the people about these initiatives of the department.Later, Dr Singh also distributed certificates among those who got power connections after registering themselves on the UrjaVistar app.Commissioner Secretary PDD Hardesh Kumar Singh, Managing Director Jammu & Kashmir State Power Development Corporation Shah Faesal, Chief Engineers, Executive Engineers and other engineers of the department were present in the meeting.