Union Power and Housing and Urban Affairs Minister Manohar Lal on Tuesday, 2 June, reviewed Haryana’s power sector issues in Chandigarh, with the state committing to start smart metering works on the ground from 31 August.
The review meeting was attended by Haryana Power Minister Anil Vij, senior state government officials, Ministry of Power officials and representatives of power sector CPSEs.
During the meeting, Manohar Lal discussed matters related to the Revamped Distribution Sector Scheme and the operational and financial performance of Haryana’s DISCOMs.
He said electricity should be treated as an economic good and power utilities must function on sound commercial principles. He also stressed the need to reduce power purchase costs, rationalise expenses and improve revenue.
The minister noted that AT&C losses had improved over the years, but said further improvement must be ensured. He also called for timely settlement of government department dues and subsidies through an automated payment mechanism.
Manohar Lal reviewed the progress of smart metering and advised the state to award works quickly.
Haryana committed to begin smart metering works from 31 August.
He also called for a phased rollout of prepaid smart meters, beginning with government consumers and employees, followed by high-end consumers with load above 10 kW. He suggested suitable incentive mechanisms for voluntary conversion.
The minister advised Haryana to take up all loss-reduction works on priority with time-bound completion targets. He also reviewed resource adequacy and intra-state transmission planning, and asked the state to ensure capacity addition keeps pace with demand growth.
Progress under the PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana was also reviewed. The state was directed to prepare a focused action plan to expand consumer enrolment under the scheme, which is expected to help reduce power costs for consumers.
Manohar Lal said sincere efforts would help make Haryana’s DISCOMs financially viable and the state power sector self-sufficient. He assured continued support from the central government for the overall development of the state’s power sector.
Haryana Power Minister Anil Vij assured that the state would take necessary measures to implement the sanctioned works and improve the overall performance of the power sector.
