Principal Secretary, Power Development Department, Rohit Kansal today chaired a review meeting with senior officers of PDD and KPDCL to discuss the status of power sector, centrally sponsored schemes, revenue realization and other issues pertaining to Kashmir Power Distribution Corporation Limited.The meeting was attended by Managing Director KPDCL, Mohammad Aijaz; Director Finance and Accounts (PDD), Executive Director (Distribution), Chief Engineers of Distribution, Enforcement, Procurement and Projects, Superintending Engineers and other concerned officials.Threadbare discussion was held on augmentation of transmission & distribution infrastructure, the completion of languishing projects and works under ongoing centrally sponsored schemes, enhancing capacity of central workshop, winter preparedness, augmentation of critically over loaded receiving stations and proper maintenance and operation of power distribution network.While reviewing power supply demand of Kashmir division in winter, Principal Secretary asked the concerned officers to get readied for the winter preparedness as there are ample six months to significantly improve and enhance quality of distribution and un- interrupted power supply to consumers.Principal Secretary underscored the importance of completing projects, expediting procurement, repairing transformers during the summer months so that there is significant improvement in power scenario in Kashmir in the next winter. He asked the officers to take measures to reduce the failure rate of transformers and to cannibalize such transformers which have outlived their utility.
Principal Secretary maintained that the completion of languishing projects is the top priority of the government and directed the officers to speed up the work on all languishing projects.Power Secretary was briefed that there are 40 different Languishing Projects, of which six projects have been completed while 34 others would be finished in next six months.He was informed that the work on these languishing projects has been accelerated so that the target would be achieved within the stipulated time period.It was also given out that 55 receiving stations have been taken up for the augmentation of critically overloaded receiving stations sanctioned under PMDP- Rural, out to which 29 receiving station have already been completed.Managing Director JPDCL, Mohammad Aijaz gave a detailed presentation and informed the Principal Secretary about the present status of Integrated Power Development Scheme (IPDS), Deendayal Upadhyay Gram Jyoti Yojna (DDUGJY), Prime Minister’s Development Package (PMDP) and several other schemes.While reviewing physical progress on CSS, Kansal directed the concerned officers to remove all the bottlenecks, if any, so as to speed up the execution of the CSS for timely completion. He asked engineers to prioritise works and formulate definite timelines and devise PERT charts for early completion of projects.MD KPDCL also informed Mr Kansal about the proposed installation of hybrid smart meters for Srinagar city which would cover 1 lakh consumers initially.Managing Director also informed Principal Secretary about the initiatives taken by KPDCL during COVID-19 pandemic like un-interrupted power supply being maintained at all Quarantine Centers; regular power supply and immediate restoration being done at all places and in all times, besides deployment of Emergency Restoration Squads.On Revenue realization, Principal Secretary asked the officers to focus on the revenue generation models so that the corporation would be made a revenue generation utility besides improving the financial health and billing efficiency of the corporation.Principal Secretary also directed the concerned authorities to take up all necessary steps to further streamline the functioning of KPDCL.