Srinagar, Jul 23 (IANS): Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Friday inaugurated seven power infrastructure projects worth Rs 10.11 crore, including a new receiving station and power augmentation in the Kashmir Division.
Speaking on the occasion, he said the turnaround in the power transmission and distribution sector in the last one year in Jammu and Kashmir has helped in achieving reliable, quality, and sustainable electricity supply.
The new projects target the four districts of Pulwama, Bandipora, Ganderbal and Budgam and would benefit 30,400 households.
Construction of the new receiving station at Pulwama under the languishing project will provide reliable power supply to 3,350 households.
"Hardly any work was done in the last three decades to strengthen the power infrastructure in Jammu and Kashmir. We have inherited a plethora of problems confronting the power generation, transmission, and distribution sectors. But, we are determined for a time-bound solution to the problems.
"Rs 5,000 crore has been allocated to transform the power infrastructure and I am certain with a pragmatic approach, we will be able to mitigate the challenges of this sector," Sinha added.
Three receiving stations in Bandipora have been added with substantial MVA capacity for the benefit of the people.
Augmentation of the existing receiving station at Shadipora, Bandipora with an additional 3.7 MVA capacity will benefit 5,000 households.
Similarly, the addition of 2.3 MVA capacity in Ajas is going to benefit 2,900 households and Markundal with additional capacity augmentation of 7.4 MVA will benefit 5,700 households in the districts.
In total, the capacity augmentation in Bandipora will benefit 13,600 households.
"The government is incurring huge losses in the power sector because people are not paying their bills. No government can provide reliable power unless citizens decide to pay. It is my humble appeal to the people to pay power bills. It is in the interest of the union territory," the Lieutenant Governor said.
He advised the power department functionaries to incorporate public opinion in the planning and execution of the initiatives aimed at increasing revenue realisation.
Reiterating the directions passed in previous meetings, Sinha directed the power department to complete the work on Unique Identification Numbers for transformers on priority.
The other power projects inaugurated on Friday include the augmentation of existing Receiving Station Kurhama from 2x6.3 to 2x10 MVA, Ganderbal; augmentation of existing Receiving Station Nagam from 4+6.3 to 10+6.3 MVA, Budgam; and augmentation of existing Receiving Station Wadwan from 2x6.3 to 2x10 MV, Budgam, benefiting 6,750, 2,600 and 4,100 households, respectively.
The seven new power infrastructure projects have been executed under the Languishing and PMDP-Rural schemes by Kashmir Power Distribution Corporation Limited (KPDCL).