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| Jora advises Power Minister to follow electricity plan | | put in place as per Electricity Act 2010 |
Jammu,(Scoop News)-Speaking on the power grant in the lower house of the state legislature on Sunday former power minister and leader of the Congress legislature party (CLP), Rigzin Jora, said that the power sector has been the biggest millstone for the fiscal health of the state.
He pointed out a look at the figures of expenditure on power purchase and revenue receipts for the year 2013 -14, shows an operating deficit of nearly Rs 3900 crores. The expenditure incurred on power purchase and supply was Rs 5601 crores whereas the total revenue realized was to the order of Rs 1437 crores.
"In other words , it would be fair to say that every unit of power is being subsidized roughly to the extent of Rs 2. 50 per unit", Jora said and added " can the state sustain this level of subsidy ? And warned: Sooner we realize this and take measures to bring about a turnaround ,the better it will be for the well being of the state".
He retorted that the new government does not have to do anything extraordinary . All that they have to do is to follow the electricity plan that has been put in place as per the Electricity Act 2010 and duly submitted to SERC and Central Electricity Authority by previous government.
The plan envisaged capacity addition of 10000 MW in generation - 6263 MW in state sector including 3 projects of JVC 2220 MW ; 5 projects in the central sector of 1859 MW including Bursar of 1020 MW ; 1 in IPP of 850 MW ; and 36 smaller IPP projects 372MW.
Similarly , Jora pointed out, the plan of transmission and distribution sector stands approved by Central Electricity Authority both for 12th five year plan and 13th five year plan: the requirement of fund being Rs 1532 crores and Rs 2228 crores.
The new Government has to pursue with the Union Power Ministry for arranging this funding, CLP leader said. "This is of critical importance", he warned.
Unless the work on augmentation of transmission and distribution network proceeds simultaneously , the capacity addition in generation which is likely to be achieved by the end of 12th five year plan will be of no use.
Jora also urged the state government to pursue with PGCIL capacity augmentation in 400kv/ 200 kv level. Unless you do this, he cautioned and said "even if you have power available , you can not evacuate power to Kashmir valley any more than what is being done".
Therefore, the deputy chief minister, who is also holding the portfolio of power department, does not have to do anything more than what we had planned for - there is no re-invention of the wheel needed, he said.
"Alongside this you have to vigorously pursue the schemes R - APDRP which already stands approved for 33 towns to strengthen the distribution network at the level of distribution transformer, the feeders, the LT and other distribution equipment", the former power minister informed the house.
The IT tools must be harnessed for meter reading, billing , collection and energy accounting and auditing Jora added. The second Phase of RGVVY which stands approved for 19 districts must be pursued for funding so that the objective for bijli for all especially the BPL families could be achieved asked Jora.
He said if you stick to the plan that our government had rolled out , the power sector instead of being bane of the state will prove to be a boon for the state by the end of the 12 th five year plan .
Speaking about Ladakh, the CLP leader pointed out, every district had been provided one crore for strengthening T & D. Surprisingly, the twin districts of Leh and Kargil were paid only 50 lakhs.
He pointed out to power minister somebody in your department , perhaps , in the planning section is indulging in discrimination against Ladakh. Jora also urged deputy chief minister to have RGVVY Phase II approved for Leh district with provision for power evacuation for Nubra and Changthang region.
Jora also reminded the power minister that the transmission connecting Leh to northern grid was launched with much fanfare by Prime Minister in August last in Leh ,although provision for fund was kept by the UPA 2 in 2013 -14 budget , the Power Grid Corporation is yet to begin the preliminary work.
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