Srinagar/Jammu, August 26 (Scoop News) – Underscoring the importance of power sector in the economic development of the State, Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah Thursday called for necessary reforms to bridge the gap between the energy supply and revenue collection.
“My endeavour is to make power available to the people round the clock for both domestic and commercial purposes. However, the collection of tariff is imperative for the purpose”, he said and directed the Power Development Department (PDD) to put in all efforts for ensuring hundred percent revenue collection instead of mooting curtailment programmes.
Addressing a high level meeting to discuss issues pertaining to the supply of electricity and collection of revenue, the Chief Minister said that failure or lagging behind in the revenue collection calls for curtailment of electric supply to the people and it has been observed that the PDD goes for the curtailment option rather than making efforts to realize the revenue and avoid disruption in power supply.
“This trend needs to be reversed and revenue collection incentivised from the linesmen level so that field staff is encouraged to put more efforts in this process”, he said stressing on mass awareness too in this regard. He said awareness cum collection camps in rural areas could prove highly fruitful for the purpose. “I want a concrete proposal from the Department regarding incentivising the revenue collection process”, he said and fixed one months time for the purpose.
The Chief Minister also directed the PDD to move a proposal for providing benefits of SRO-43 to the Daily Wagers (DW) of the Department so that their families receive necessary succour in case of untoward incidents to the DW while performing the duties.
Omar directed for holding monthly meetings to review the status of power supply and revenue collection under the chairmanship of Finance Minister adding that he will himself chair such meetings quarterly. He directed for opening revenue collection centres in the areas where bills are not collected through bank branches.
In a power point presentation, the Principal Secretary PDD, B.R. Sharma gave resume of the status of power supply and revenue collection in the State during last five years and the first quarter of the current fiscal. He also explained various measures being introduced to reform the power distribution and tariff collection. He said two grid stations of 220 KV capacities are being commissioned shortly and over 1000 sub stations computerized to make billing process smooth and easy. He said PDD also intends to meter the 11 KV and 33 KV feeders and put in place an automation, networking web self service under R-APDRP in the State. He said there has been over 12 percent growth in the consumption of power in the State in 2009-10 as compared to the previous year. He said the net consumption in the last year was of the order of 10303.436 million units as compared to 9147.217 MUs in the year 2008-09. The consumption during the current year has been estimated at 11116.88 MUs.
He said PDD has purchased power to the tune of Rs. 2542.46 crore during the last year while as this year power purchase bill has touched Rs. 1160 crore during the first quarter. Against this revenue collection last year has been Rs. 823.56 crore while as revenue realization during the first quarter of the current fiscal is Rs. 190 crore as against the target of Rs. 419.80 crore.
Sharma said that the Department also intends to complete the full metering in the unmetered areas during next two years besides replacing old and damaged meters in certain areas by the digital electronic meters. He said use of print and electronic media will be encouraged for public awareness regarding payment of tariff and conservation of energy.
The Minister for Finance, A.R. Rather, Minister of State for Power, Shabir Ahmad Khan, Principal Secretary to Chief Minister, Khurshid Ahmad Ganai, Commissioner/Secretary Finance, Sudhanshu Panday and senior officers of PDD were present in the meeting.
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