Jammu and Kashmir Chief Secretary, Atal Dulloo, on Tuesday asked the Power Development Department (PDD) to carry out an energy audit of the infrastructure raised under the Prime Minister Development Programme (PMDP) to assess the impact of these projects in reforming the energy distribution across Jammu and Kashmir.

Dulloo was addressing a high level Distribution Reforms Committee (DRC) meeting called to seek assessment of the progress on completion of these mega projects implemented in different areas of the UT.

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The Chief Secretary, while taking note of the projects completed under the PMDP and Revamped Distribution Sector Scheme (RDSS), said that both these schemes are highly significant for the UT in carrying out the much requisite reforms in the power distribution system thereby reducing the AT&C losses, a major burden on the exchequer.

Dulloo further observed that in order to ensure that these projects are meeting the set objectives, it is imperative to study their impact on ground.

Moreover, in order to monitor the energy flow in distribution system on real time basis there should be a robust IT system in place, maintained the Chief Secretary.

He illustrated that right from the feeder to distribution transformer and then to each of the consumer the quantum of energy supplied should be reflected with the losses incurred at each stage.

In his remarks, the Principal Secretary, PDD, made out that the Ministry for Power had sanctioned projects worth Rs 2,570.14 crore under PMDP in 2015 for strengthening distribution system in both rural and urban areas and installation of smart meters for 2 lakh consumers.

These projects were to be implemented with 90% funding from the central government and balance 10% to be funded by Government of J&K. The scheduled completion time for these projects was two years from the date of sanction and later multiple time extensions were approved by ministry of power for the execution of works, he added.

Additionally, the Central government under its 2nd package sanctioned an amount of Rs.1139 crore for strengthening of distribution system in remaining areas with installation of 6 lakh more smart meters.

While implementing these projects, the Government of J&K allocated some of these sanctioned projects to RECPDCL and PGCIL while retaining the balance projects with JKPDD as project implementing agency to be implemented by JPDCL and KPDCL in their respective areas of jurisdiction.

The scope of these works as given out in the meeting included strengthening of distribution system, replacement of barbed wire, underground cabling in certain tourist places, creation of sub-stations in industrial areas, smart metering, street lighting at certain popular shrines, establishment of meter testing lab besides few other works to improve efficiency in power distribution.

Furthermore, multiple projects for electrification and grid connectivity of remote areas in Kishtwar, Kupwara and Bandipora districts were also undertaken under RDS.

These included electrification of Marwah Warwan blocks (Kishtwar District) at a cost of Rs73.39 crore along with creation of 33/11 KV substations and a 33 KV line for improved grid connectivity.
Similarly, a total of Rs 64.89 crore were allocated for establishment of a new substation in Tulail area of Bandipora district and electrification of additional households there and that of the remote areas in Kupwara district.

These projects aimed to enhance power reliability and provide electricity access to previously unconnected households in these remote regions. The initiatives are funded in a 90:10 ratio, in line with RDSS loss reduction efforts, as was informed in the meeting.