Srinagar: Despite Jammu and Kashmir having highest Transmission and Distribution losses, the Power Development Department has failed to implement several schemes for strengthening of power distribution system in the state.
As per the official figures, the Jammu and Kashmir has over 50 percent transmission and distribution losses, while the national average is around 30 percent.
The J&K has failed to bring down the T&D losses despite hike in power tariff of over 200 percent in the last one decade in the state. A report submitted by the Abraham Committee headed by P Abraham had found that T&D losses were due to lack of up gradation of old lines and equipments, poor repair and maintenance of equipments, non-installation of sufficient capacitors, theft and pilferage, tampering of meters, and low accountability of employees.
While several projects were formulated under various schemes for strengthening the power distribution system, JK Government has failed to implement them. “It took several months to complete tendering process for several projects in Kashmir. Soon after the successful bidders were allotted the projects, authorities cancelled the tenders,” an official of the PDD. Under one scheme, over Rs 600 crore has been released by the state for the last two years. “There has been zero spending,” sources said.
“These funds have to be spent within a time framework. If there is further delay then these funds may get lapsed,” sources said. “Has these schemes being implemented, J&K’s T&D losses would have been reduced,” the official said.
The union government has directed the JK government to improve revenue recovery and check the pilferage, a major cause of T&D losses. “The Centre is unhappy with J&K’s highest T&D losses in India,” the official said.
However, the PDD said that government at the top have to take measures to reduce the T&D losses. Installation of metering, the official said could bring down these losses.
“Funds have also been sought from the centre for installation of 100 percent metering in the state by 2020,” the official said.
The official said that PDD has projected installation of 1147723 metres from 2015 to 2019 in domestic and non-domestic categories of which 202374 have been installed during 2015-2016 and had projected 252537 metres in 2016-2017 but could not achieve the target due to unrest in the valley. “The metering process has been slow due to situation in the state and due to resource constraints,” the official added.
(With inputs from KNS)
