Punjab Government, after gaining power surplus status, on Sunday discussed innovative ideas of power generation and distribution to meet increasing demand of power besides ensuring significant cut in power losses and thefts.
With the Government focusing on adopting innovative technologies to ensure cheapest power tariffs for its different categories of power consumers, the State Irrigation and Power Minister Rana Gurjeet Singh coined an idea of converting every farmer from power consumer to power producer.
Rana Gurjeet, who himself has expertise in power generation, held a meeting with the engineers and officials of Punjab State Power Corporation limited (PSPCl) and Punjab State Transmission Corporation limited (PSTCl).
According to this plan, each farmer’s tubewell motor will be replaced with power saving five-star motor powered with a solar power unit. “Farmers will not only use solar power to run tubewell, but he will also sell this power during idle period,” said the Minister, asking both PSPCl and PSTCl to study the feasibility of the project.
“This project will not only provide an additional source of income to every son of soil but government would also save Rs 7,000 crores it used to pay on power subsidy,” he said while discussing the idea with the engineers and financial professionals of the department.
Stressing on the fact that one percent fall in power losses and theft in the State will save Rs 1,800 crores, the Minister has asked department to adopt innovative ideas in the work style also.
He asked PSPCl chairman cum managing director A Venu Prasad to fix responsibilities and powers of all the employees of the department to increase their accountability. “We can bring a drastic cut in the power losses and thefts by ensuring regular monitoring, using quality products and bringing transparency and efficiency in all financial transactions including billing process,” he said. Rana Gurjeet also sought innovative ideas and suggestions from the engineers and officials of the department to realize the commitment of Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh that his Government will provide quality power at the cheapest tariffs.