Sanjeev Pargal
JAMMU, Dec 4: The Centre Government is set to assist Jammu and Kashmir Government in implementation of targets under ‘Power for All’, a prestigious scheme of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, as the State Government was likely to miss the deadline of December 2018 set by the Union Power Ministry to declare entire country electrified.
“Due to a variety of reasons, Jammu and Kashmir is all set to miss the deadline of December 2018 in implementation of ‘Power for All’. The reasons included mountainous and very tough terrain in many parts of the remote and rural areas, which were coupled with delay in launch of Prime Minister’s Development Package (PMDP-Rural) and Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Grameen Jyoti Yojana in six districts in view of an inquiry into allotment of works,’’ official sources told the Excelsior.
They said the Centre Government has decided to assist the Jammu and Kashmir Government in implementation of the Scheme by deputing its Special Teams to the State to find out ways and means for assistance followed by directives to Central Power Corporations to help State in electrification of the villages to meet the deadline.
The Centre Government, according to sources, was of the view that even if a single State like Jammu and Kashmir was unable to meet the deadline of ‘Power for All’, it would send a wrong message across the country and give the Opposition a chance to raise the issue that the Prime Minister’s ambitious scheme hasn’t been implemented fully.
“In view of this, the Centre Government would shortly be deputing its high level teams and Power Ministry’s experts to identify villages and hamlets in Jammu and Kashmir, which were un-electrified. The teams would find out how to assist the State Government in meeting the deadline,’’ sources said, adding that solar projects in some of the villages were being considered as an alternate to implement the scheme ‘Power for All’.
Other than solar projects, some more alternates to implement the prestigious Central schemes, would also be discussed by the Central Government with State Power Department officials to ensure implementation of the Scheme within the stipulated target. The Centre is reportedly of the view that even if the Scheme gets delayed, the delay is not much and that the target is met within a couple of months of the scheduled deadline.
According to sources, of 102 un-electrified villages in the State, 41 fall in remote and hilly areas of Kishtwar, 18 in mountain locked Leh, 31 in hilly Kargil and five in Bandipora and Kupwara districts including Gurez.
Apart from this, there were 31,000 families, which were living in isolated mountainous areas, who will be covered under ‘Soubaghaya’ scheme of the Centre Government.
Sources said the Centre has taken note of the reports that some big companies, which have expertise in construction of power projects, were reluctant to come to Jammu and Kashmir on the ground that their payments are held up for six to eight months due to administrative inertia.
“In view of this, construction of projects is delayed,” sources said.
The Centre has already expressed concern over the growing huge gap in the cost of power purchased and the electricity dues recovered from consumers in the State and impressed upon the State Power Department to take necessary steps to recover dues from each and every defaulter and work towards full recovery being made.
Sources pointed out that few months back, a high-level Inquiry Commission had gone into the report of providing contract for electrification of works in six districts of the Kashmir valley including Kupwara, Baramulla, Bandipora, Ganderbal, Budgam and Anantnag and recommended cancellation of the contract.
“The issuance of revised tenders after settling legal issues will also take time,’’ sources noted.
Sources said the Union Power Minister, in addition to missing of the deadline of ‘Power for All’ by the Jammu and Kashmir Government, was also deeply concerned at metering and billing of power connections in Jammu and Kashmir, which stood at just 50 per cent. It has cited that States like Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh have 99 per cent billing and 98 per cent collection of revenue which has made these States self sufficient in energy.
It has suggested the Power Department officials of Jammu and Kashmir to go for pre-paid metering in at least capital cities of the States i.e. Jammu and Srinagar, to begin with, and later extend it to other cities and towns to generate revenue collection.
“The pre-paid metering scheme has been launched in some States and was successful. It can be started in Jammu and Srinagar cities and, if implemented successfully, can be extended to other cities and towns,’’ sources quoted the Union Power Ministry as having suggested to the State Government.
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