JAMMU: Correlating development with the availability of electricity, the Chief Minister Thursday said that in a State like Jammu and Kashmir the economic growth and holistic progress directly depends on a self-reliant power sector.
“Unless we are self-sufficient in the generation electricity, we cannot make necessary dent in the industrial development and promotion of other economically important sectorsâ€, he said adding that the State Government has to bear over Rs. 2000 crores as losses on the supply of electricity to the consumers in the State per annum.
“This grim scenario largely affects the development and puts hurdles in the process of generating employment for youthâ€, he said and asked the people to cooperate with the Government by making timely payments of tariff and shunning the illegal use of electricity.
Addressing a public gathering at Deoli village in Check Hasla in Bishnah Tehsil about 35 kilometers from here, the Chief Minister said that his Government has launched various mega, medium and small projects in power sector to generate over 4000 to 5000 MWs of additional power in the State during next 6 years and help growth and development of all sectors and generation of economic activities.
The Chief Minister said that the commissioning of Bishnah Grid Station would give considerable relief to the people and strengthen the transmission and distribution system in Jammu division.
Explaining the efficacy of Public Service Guarantee Act (PSGA) to ensure prompt service delivery to the people by the government departments and reduce the chances of corruption, the Chief Minister said that this initiative of his Government is one among the first few legislations enacted by some States in the Country.
“We have amply empowered the people to receive the designated services under the Act within the prescribed time frame and made administration legally bound for the sameâ€, he said the erring officials are liable to punishment and affected consumer entitled for compensation. He asked the people to take best advantage of the Act and get various public services delivered in the departments of Transport, CAPD, Power, Revenue, PHE and Housing within the prescribed timeframe fixed for each service.
Omar Abdullah asked Panchayat Members and other public representatives to be an important part in making people aware of their rights and powers to get specified public service delivery within the prescribed timeframe. “You are the fastest medium to keep people apprised of their rights under the Act and about the fine to be imposed on the officials for not delivering the service to the consumer within the prescribed timeframeâ€, he added.
“I have directed the departments of power, transport, public health engineering, consumer affairs and public distribution, revenue and housing which come under the ambit of Public Service Guarantee Act, to install boards in the premises of their offices across the State in Urdu, Hindi and English giving details about the services and the timeframe these offices are bound to provide to the people. I have also told them to give details about the fine to be imposed on the erring official and the compensation to be paid to the consumers for not receiving the service within the stipulated time periodâ€, he said and asked the panchayat members and general people to check the presence of these boards in the office premises of these departments and if they find these missing they should report to concerned Deputy Commissioner as also to the office of the Chief Minister.
Omar Abdullah said that coalition government has set a target for progressive and prosperous Jammu and Kashmir. “We are marching ahead in this directionâ€, he added.
Minister for Industries, S. S. Salathia, Minister for Revenue, Raman Bhalla, Minister of State for Power, Shabir Ahmad Khan, Political Advisor to the Chief Minister, Devender Singh Rana, Parliament Members, Ch. Lal Singh and Madan Lal Sharma, Legislator Bimla Luthra, NC Provincial President, Rattan Lal Gupta, and local leaders also addressed the gathering.
They pinpointed the achievements of the coalition government led by Omar Abdullah and said that equitable development and welfare of all sections of the society is benchmark of the policy planning of the government.
They also talked about the measures taken by the government to increase the power production in the State and upgrade distribution and transmission system. They said that Government has flagged power development as one of the important areas of concern. They said a balanced and well thought strategy has been put in place to achieve the targets of enhancing power generation during the next five years besides improving the transmission system.
Earlier, the Chief Minister inaugurated Rs. 69.25 crores 220/132 KV Power Grid Station in Bishnah. The Minister of State for Power, Shabir Ahmad Khan explaining the salient features of the scheme, said that the project also comprises of the 220 KV Barn-Bishnah-Hiranagar and Hiranagar-Bishnah transmission lines.
The section of 44.80 kilometers transmission line from Hiranagar Grid Station to Bishnah Grid Station has been completed while the work on 37.79 kilometers transmission line from Barn-Bishnah is under progress with the completion of this line an alternate power supply arrangement at 220 KV level from Barn Grid Station will be developed as well. The total cost of the transmission lines is Rs. 53 crores and an expenditure of Rs. 32.46 crores has been incurred on it ending October 2011.
The benefits of the commissioning of Grid Station at Bishnah includes addition of transformation capacity of 320 MVA at 220/132 KV level and 100 MVA at 132/33 KV level in Jammu region. It will relieve the overloading of existing Grid Station at Miran Sahib, Canal and Bari-Brahamana-I. It will also help reliable power supply to Jammu city and its sub-urabs. It will help regulate an improve power supply at 33 KV transmission line level feeding the sub-transmission system in Bishnah Tehsil and parts of R.S.Pora. The Grid Station would accrue immediate benefit of population of around 2 lakh in Tehsil Bishnah, Tehsil R.S.Pora and Niyabat Ramgarh.
MLA Ashwani Kumar, Commissioner Secretary Power, Basharat Ahmad Dar, Chief Engineers of PDD and other officers were present on the occasion.