From Our Special Correspondent
NEW DELHI: Meghalaya is presently facing power shortage and transmission and distribution loses like any other state in the north-eastern region, but will meet its full demand and minimise the losses in the 12th Five Year Plan, the Minister for Power, AT Mondal said on Wednesday.
Participating in the power ministers’ conference here, Mondal said currently the State needs 610 MW of power but generates 396.7 MW including from its central share. But with ongoing hydro projects and capacity addition in public and private developers both in hydel and thermal sectors, the generation would increase by a staggering 2300 MW in the 12th Plan itself, he said.
The Union Minister for Power Sushilkumar Shinde who inaugurated the conference “Distribution Sector Reforms” urged upon the states to take effective steps to ameliorate the poor financial condition of power distribution utilities. The conference at the end also adopted a resolution to bringing down the distribution losses to 15 per cent which it felt achievable if the states devise utility-wise turn-around plan and closely monitor it at the highest level.
Mondal said electricity in the State but the same would be brought down substantially to permissible limits in 2011-12. The State has taken several steps like disconnection of power supply, special power courts, and strict vigil to minimise the power losses, he said.
The minister said that the Government has taken many steps to implement reforms in power sector and Meghalaya was one of the first states to unbundle its state electricity board. The state has own regulatory commission and MeECL (Meghalaya Energy Corporation) is regularly demanding for revision of tariff, he said.
Shinde announced that all towns with population 5000 for special category states which include NE states) and all district headquarters in such states will be considered for inclusion under Restructured Accelerated Power Development and Reforms Programme (R-APDRP). Mondal demanded that the Centre should provide hundred per cent finance to the states which needs Rs 43.98 crore but was sanctioned Rs 33.97 crore for this project only.
Addressing the gathering, Planning Commission Deputy Chairman Montek Singh Ahluwalia also expressed concern over the mismatch between tariff and cost and underlined the need to reduce electricity losses. He suggested to seriously look into the possibility of introducing time of the day tariff with higher tariff during peak hours and operationalisation of open access to consumers.
During the discussion, Mondal highlighted in detail the administrative and financial measures taken by the State to address the issue of electricity pilferage and power thefts. He also assured of early completion of auditing of accounts of the utilities but insisted on clearance of the outstanding subsidies and advance payment of subsidy as per the Electricity Act to the state.