The Deputy Chief Minister, Dr. Nirmal Singh today asked the officers to fast pace the implementation of various schemes being undertaken for augmentation of transmission, distribution, and providing uninterrupted supply of power and also ensuring electrification of the un-electrified villages and hamlets sector in the State.The Deputy Chief Minister was speaking at the review meeting convened to discuss the transmission and distribution sector of the State Power Development Department besides also the implementation of Deendayal Upadhyaya Gram Jyoti Yojana (DDUGJY), RAPDRP and PMDP and Integrated Power Development Scheme.Member parliament Mr. Jugal Kishore, Legislators Mr. Sat Sharma, Mr. D N Bhagat, Mr Rajeev Sharma, Mr. R S Pathania, Mr. Shakti Parihaar, and Mr. K L Bhagat also attended.Principal Secretary Power Mr. Dheeraj Gupta, Development Commissioner Power, Secretary Technical (Power), Chief Engineers, Executive Director JKSPDC, and other senior officers of PDD were present.The Deputy Chief Minister directed the officers to maintain a close synergy with the executing agencies so that the flagship schemes undertaken in the Power Sector are completed within the stipulated timeframe. He said that the same is essential so that the people of the State are provided with adequate and uninterrupted supply of power in consonance with the Prime Minister’s vision of providing uninterrupted 24X7 Power For All (PFA).
While highlighting the importance of DDUGJY, the Deputy Chief Minister said that the schemes would ensure that all un-electrified villages and hamlets would be provided with power which would further ensure that the rural developmental landscape gets a fillip. He said that the scheme has been a game changes in different part so the Country and we have to ensure its timely implementation and completionHe said that 102 villages and 2.96 lac households taken up for electrification under the PM’s PFA programme by October, 2017 under RGGVY-II and DDUGJY Schemes. “R-APDRP is under progress in 30 towns for renovation and up-gradtion of sub-transmission and distribution network and adoption of IT applications for meter reading, billing and energy accounting at a cost of nearly Rs. 2000 crore,” he added.Dr. Singh also directed for taking up the enforcement drive so that pilferage of electricity is stopped. He said that the same should be taken on a missionary mode so that the power theft is stopped and the revenue generation gets a fillip.
The meeting was told that for strengthening and augmentation of sub-transmission & distribution (ST&D) infrastructure in rural areas, Union Government has approved an amount of Rs 616.59 crore for the State under the scheme and district-wise tendering of the scheme is under progress.Similarly, for strengthening of sub-transmission and distribution networks including metering and IT enablement, in remaining urban areas, 86 identified towns under Integrated Power Development Scheme (IPDS) for which Centre has sanctioned Rs 444.50 crore is underway.Under Prime Minister’s new Reconstruction and Rehabilitation Plan 2015 framed on the policy of 24x7 Power forAll (PFA) by 2019 and Ensuring Fiscal Autonomy (EFA) of J&K for a new era in development, Union has sanctioned Rs. 3759.73 crore to cover the remaining areas which could not be covered under centrally sponsored flagship schemes, the meeting was told.MPs and MLAs gave feedback about pace of work under schemes which are under implementation in their constituencies and desired that the department should make all over efforts to ensure that the schemes are completed in time bound manner.