Himachal Pradesh Government has approved `1,464 crore financial restructuring plan of the State Electricity Board and it was committed to provide 24 hours subsidised power to the people of the State as well as to every household in the remotest corner, said Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh.
While speaking on the occasion of 24th General Conference of Himachal Pradesh State Electricity Board limited Powers Engineers Association at Sundernagar in district Mandi on Saturday, he said that subsidised domestic energy to consumers amounting to `388 crore was being provided to the people of the State.
He added that the Government has decided that the power producers would not be required to take no objection certificate from the Irrigation and Public Health Department, PWD, Revenue and Fisheries for setting up hydro projects in the State. He said that this was being done to promote the entrepreneurs to invest in hydel sector in the State.
The Chief Minister said that to promote the private participation in hydel generation sector, five new projects were given to HPSEB ltd for further allotment to private bidders and the techno-economic clearance for three such projects have been accorded by the Government.
He said that Himachal Pradesh had been blessed with 27,432 MW hydel potential and was able to harness 8,432 MW of hydro potential in the State and was targeting to exploit 2,000 MW of power potential in this fiscal.
Virbhadra said that HPSEB ltd have completed targets under Rajiv Gandhi Grameen Vidyutikaran Yojana and Restricted Accelerated Power Development and Reforms Programme. He said that the 10 MW Ghanvi-II in Shimla district has started generating power and 100 MW Uhl project in Joginder in district Mandi was in the final stage of execution. Both the projects were being commissioned by HPSEB ltd.
The Chief Minister added that the Board is also executing capital expenditure works amounting to `440 crore per annum for improving voltage supplies and to manage increasing load in rural and industrial areas. “I am happy to learn that losses of the Board have been brought down to 14.5 per cent and I hope that the Board will initiate measures to reduce it further to improve the Board’s income and functioning” said he.
The Government was considering to set up 220 kV electricity sub-station at Mandhala in Baddi and 132 kV sub-station at Gaura in district Solan has been recently energized, which would not only improve the reliability of electricity supply in Solan area but would also help in lifting adequate water supply for the people of the town, said Virbhadra.
He also announced for restoration of one post of Chief Engineer (system Planning).
The Chief Minister said that the State was not getting its due share from BBMB which was a major power producer in the State distributing power supply to other States.
“The BBMB was withholding the share of the State despite the State has won the case pertaining to its share in the Supreme Court. It is a right-full claim that Himachal Pradesh be a part of BBMB share and we will not accept the stepmotherly treatment,” he asserted.
Meanwhile, the Chief Minister directed the Board to fill all the functional posts in the board in a phased manner so that its efficiency could be enhanced. He added that about 895 posts of different categories have been created in the Board.