Lucknow, Sep 27 (IANS): Faced with an acute power crisis, the Uttar Pradesh government has decided to take steps to significantly bring down the line losses, an official said Saturday.

At a meeting of senior power officials with Chief Secretary Alok Ranjan Friday, it was decided that the UP Power Corporation Limited (UPPCL) would take the measures.

An intensive campaign will be undertaken soon in 155 towns with a population of 30,000 to 400,000, and in 12 big cities of the state with a population of over 400,000, the official told IANS.

Principal Secretary Sanjay Agarwal said under this programme, transformer-wise combing will be conducted to remove the flaws at all levels. Consumers, who are not yet in the billing net, will be included in billing and recovery process.

Officials said Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav instructed the power department at a review meeting earlier this week to normalise the power situation in the state.

Following the instructions, senior officials ordered combing operation to bring down the line losses.

UPPCL Managing Director A.P. Mishra said that in two months of feederwise checking drive from July 1 to August 31 this year, around 24 lakhs new power connections were released and the power load was increased in 207,421 connections and action was taken in 15,763 power theft cases.

He also said approximately Rs.531 crores was recovered in load increase and power theft cases.