Will provide uninterrupted electricity to farmers: Rajasthan energy min

The Rajasthan government is taking steps to bring down power losses, and to provide uninterrupted electricity supply, especially to farmers during the coming Rabi or winter crop season.

 

State’s Energy Minister Hiralal Nagar directed the managing directors of discoms or power distribution corporations to prepare an action plan to reduce power losses.

 

He asked the discoms to identify areas with high distribution losses and implement effective measures to reduce them and monitor them closely.

 

“Along with strengthening the power system in feeders with high losses, instructions have also been given to increase vigilance activities, including changing defective meters, confiscating illegal transformers,” Nagar said.

 

The energy minister said that action should be taken against engineers who fail to achieve the targets for reducing losses.

 

“Our aim should be to provide a continuous power supply to the farmers in the upcoming Rabi season. For this, all measures to strengthen the power system should be ensured in time,” the minister said. 

 

Nagar was recently reviewing the working of Jaipur, Jodhpur, and Ajmer Electricity Distribution Corporations through a video conference.

 

The energy minister said that to improve the image of discoms in the eyes of the general public, it is necessary to ensure an uninterrupted supply of electricity while also issuing electricity connections to applicants easily and providing better services.

 

He directed to end the pendency of electricity connections older than one month and said that disciplinary action should be taken against personnel who unnecessarily delay issuing connections.

 

He added that distribution corporations should focus on better grid and load management, prompt payment of consumer services, and working towards energy transition via promotion of decentralised solar power.

 

Due to Rajasthan’s rising electricity demand, which is increasing by an estimated 8-10 per cent annually, the government’s focus is to obtain 43 per cent of power consumption from solar energy by 2030.

 

The state is also strengthening distribution of solar pumps under the PM Kusum scheme, which will help install solar pumps in more than 50,000 farms and generate 200 MW of electricity in the next few years, an official of the state energy department said.