Department Related Standing Committee (DRSC) today directed the Power Development Department (PDD) to regularize the services of daily wagers working in Power Development Corporation (PDC) on the same analogy adopted in respect of daily wagers of PDD.This was directed by Member Legislative Council Ramesh Arora, who is also Chairman DRSC, during a meeting convened to review the functioning the PDD and PDC here today.The Committee also directed the concerned to provide electricity to all un-electrified villages/hamlets in the State on priority.Legislators Showkat Hussain Ganai, Mohammad Khursheed Alam, Firdous Ahmad Tak, besides special invitees Naresh Kumar Gupta and G L Raina were also present in the meeting. They gave their suggestions to improve the functioning of the PDD and PDC to make them more viable and result oriented.
The Committee also asked the concerned to take all the necessary steps which will help in further improving the working of the department at grass root level besides strengthening the power infrastructure in the State, especially in rural and far off areas.On the occasion, Commissioner Secretary PDD, Dheeraj Gupta, briefed the Committee about working of the department besides progress made in various flagship and other centrally sponsored schemes. He briefed about different aspects of budget components including Capex Expenditure on Projects (CEP) and said that 50 percent budget allocations have been released so far.He informed that Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Gram Jyoti Yojana (DDUGJY) has been sanctioned for an amount of Rs 619.67 crores for electrification of 83 un-electrified villages in 21 districts of Jammu and Kashmir. The programme aims at creation of infrastructure in power distribution system for strengthening and electrification of un-electrified households in the rural areas, he added.
He further said that efforts are on to improve various services being provided by the department to consumers with special emphasis on improving power supply scenario in the State. Besides, life saving equipment has also been provided to line mans to ensure their safety while executing duties for the department, he informed.The Committee also discussed other issues of department including, expediting works on power projects in the State, filling vacant post of lineman, status of installation of smart meters in Srinagar and Jammu cities, installation of street lights among others.Managing Director JKSPDC Shah Faesal, DCP Asgar Ali Majaz, Chief Engineers, M&RE, Kashmir and Jammu, Chief Engineers of different wings of PDD besides senior officers of PDD, PDC and Council Secretariat were also present in the meeting.