Jammu, Feb 15 (IANS): Jammu and Kashmir Lt Governor Manoj Sinha on Tuesday inaugurated 20 power distribution projects costing Rs 41 crores at Bajalta in Jammu, saying that these will address peak season shortage and ensure sustained economic activities.

Additional capacity augmentation will bridge the major gap in the electricity requirements of Jammu, Udhampur, Reasi, Poonch, Rajouri and adjoining areas, he added.

"Our aim is to make the power department of J&K UT self-sustaining and reduce power theft which is proving to be cancer for this sector.

"I appeal to the people to help the administration in controlling theft, reducing wasteful consumption, cutting down losses and reporting the offenders to the authorities," Sinha said.

It is the need of the hour to install smart meters to ensure that people of J&K get good quality and reliable power, address the needs of poor, rural areas, agriculture and industrial sector, and usher in an era of uninterrupted power supply.

Highlighting the progress attained by the UT in power sector, the Lt Governor observed that the unprecedented achievements in power generation, transmission and distribution sectors in the last one year have completely overhauled J&K's power infrastructure which remained dilapidated for several decades.