Punjab Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal announced that after achieving power surplus status, Punjab is now all set to have uninterrupted power supply by the end of this year. He said State government has envisioned strengthening of transmission and distribution (T&D) network of all villages and towns at a cost of Rs 2514 crore under Restructured Accelerated Power Development and Reforms Program (R-APRDRP), Integrated Power Development Scheme (IPDS) and Deendayal Upadhyaya Gram Jyoti Yojana (DDUGJY).In a statement issued here, Mr. Badal said after successfully launching the R-APRDRP scheme worth Rs. 1314 Crore for strengthening the T&D network of 47 towns having population more than 30000, state government has moved proposal under IPDS to cover 70 more towns having population 5000 or more. He said the power infrastructure in rural areas would also be improved on the same pattern under DDUGJY scheme.
Lauding the performance of Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL), Deputy CM said with concerted efforts and performance of PSPCL staff Punjab got three excellent and two distinguished awards in National Convention on Quality Concepts (NCQC-2014) held at Pune.
Giving details of R-APRDR Program, Mr. Badal said the works were in full swing on 24 projects covering Amritsar, Jalandhar, Ludhiana East, Ludhiana West, Patti, Hoshiarpur, Kapurthala, Phagwara, Gurdaspur, Pathankot, Tarntaran, Batala, Nakodar, Sunam, Sirhind, Nangal, Rajpura, Sangrur, Malerkotla, Samana, Nabha, Barnala, Kharar and Jagraon. He said that work on remaining 23 projects in various towns would be launched by next month.Mr. Badal further added that the main scope of work was to have new as well as augmentation of HT & LT lines, distribution transformers, replacement of electro mechanical meters with electronic meters, shifting of meters outside consumer premises, erection of new sub-stations and associated transmission lines. “Two 66 KV substations had been commissioned in Ludhiana whereas work is in full swing on 9 other sub-stations namely Nabha, Kannoi and Khillrian in Sangrur, Gurdaspur, Batala, Pathankot, Tarantaran, and two in Amritsar are likely to be commissioned by the end of July”, he added.
Stressing on strengthening power infrastructure in rural and small towns he said under DDUGJ Yojna agricultural and non-agricultural feeders would be separated facilitating judicious rostering of supply to agricultural and non-agricultural consumers in the rural areas and strengthening and augmentation of infrastructure. Deputy Chief Minister said there would be considerable reduction in T&D losses besides ensuring reliable power supply to the people after completion of these projects. “People of the state will witness total revamping of power infrastructure, uninterrupted power supply, quality services by the end of this year and it would also increase state revenue”, he emphasised.