KCR pats staff for energising power sector

Hyderabad: Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao on Saturday complimented the officials and employees of the Electricity Department for pulling the State out of power crisis and making round-the-clock power supply to all sectors a success.

“When compared to other States in the country, the State has made a huge leap forward in generation, distribution and supply of power,” the Chief Minister said. He congratulated the employees and officials for making this possible by working day in, day out with sincerity and commitment.

Holding a review meeting with the officials of the Electricity Department at Pragati Bhavan, KCR exhorted the officials to prepare a perfect action plan for power supply to all lift irrigation projects, Mission Bhagiratha and new industries. He expressed his happiness over the success of round-the-clock power supply to farm sector. The officials, he said, should chalk out a strategy keeping in view the surge in demand for power as lift irrigation schemes are commissioned and new industries are being launched.

“New lift irrigation schemes are coming up on Godavari. Apart from it, major lift irrigation projects like Kaleshwaram, Devadula, Sitarama projects, minor lift irrigation schemes Gudem, Sripada, Yellampally are also coming up. On Krishna, schemes like Dindi, Palamuru-Rangareddy are coming up. Based on this, prepare estimates on the demand for power supply,” he said.

“We have to provide uninterrupted power for 23 lakh pump sets in the State from January 1 next year. There are unauthorised pump sets too. There will be more demand for pump sets during the summer. It is very important and prestigious for the government to supply 24-hour power supply. Take this matter into consideration,” the Chief Minister told the officials.

“Divide power supply into five categories. Agriculture, lift irrigation - Mission Bhagiratha, commercial, domestic and industrial. Treat these categories individually and prepare estimates on the quantum of demand for each category. There will be substantial increase in demand for these five categories. Along with growth in the commercial and domestic categories, there will be a lot of increase in demand for agriculture and lift irrigation schemes,” he said.

“Several economists felt that it is not good give more subsidy on power to the farming sector. But I did not agree with them. To give 24-hour free power supply to the farm sector the subsidy on it would increase from Rs 4,777 crore to Rs 5,400 crore. If need be, we are ready to give another Rs 500 crore. The government is also bearing Rs 10,000 crore required for the lift Irrigation schemes. With the subsidies given to the farmers, agricultural produce worth lakhs of crores will be generated. Then it will improve the conditions of farmers, which, in turn, helps GDP growth,” he asserted.

Genco, Transco CMD Prabhakar Rao said, “Today is an auspicious day for all of the officials and employees of the Electricity Department. The Chief Minister, immediately after assuming power, gave us guidelines and today we made a huge leap forward.”

Minister for Energy Jagdish Reddy, Transco and Genco CMD D Prabhakar Rao, Government’s Chief Advisor Rajiv Sharma, Special Chief Secretary Ajay Mishra, DGP M Mahender Reddy, Transco JMD Srinivas Rao, SPDCL CMD Raghuma Reddy, NPDPCL CMD Gopal Rao, Directors of the four Institutions, CEs, SEs and others about 100 officials were present.