Minimise unscheduled power cuts: CM Omar Abdullah

Jammu, Dec 4: Chief Minister Omar Abdullah Wednesday urged the Power Development Department (PDD) to minimise unscheduled power cuts.

“Deviations from announced curtailment schedules must be kept to an absolute minimum. While people are ready to accept planned curtailments, unexpected and prolonged power cuts are difficult for them to tolerate,” he said chairing a comprehensive review meeting of the PDD at the civil secretariat here.

The CM emphasised minimising distress cuts so that people begin to trust the schedule of power cuts notified by the PDD.

Reiterating the need for a clear and reliable curtailment programme, he stressed that distressed curtailments should be rare and well-communicated.

CM Omar also reviewed the physical and financial progress of ongoing works and projects being executed under the J&K budget, centrally sponsored schemes, and the Prime Minister’s Development Package (PMDP).

He also launched the Monitoring of Load Curtailment Programme by clicking on www.LCPJK.in, marking a significant step toward ensuring transparency and accountability in power curtailment schedules.

The CM reiterated the strict monitoring and efficient execution of curtailment plans to ensure a reliable power supply while safeguarding consumers' interests.

Earlier, Principal Secretary PDD, Rajesh H Prasad, presented a detailed overview of key areas including power supply status, load curtailment programs, revenue realisation, power purchase economics, and mechanisms for monitoring curtailment schedules.

The meeting also reviewed consumer and load profiles across Kashmir districts, focusing on consumer counts and challenges in meeting load requirements.

Discussions were held on strategies to address Aggregate Technical and Commercial (AT&C) losses through targeted interventions and mechanisms to plug revenue leakages.

A comparative analysis of power availability this year versus last year was also presented.

Key proposed projects were also evaluated.

The meeting focused on addressing power supply challenges, curtailment schedules, revenue realisation, and strategies for improving the efficiency of the power sector during the peak winter season.

The meeting was attended by Advisor to CM Nasir Aslam Wani, Chief Secretary Atal Dulloo, Additional Chief Secretary to CM Dheeraj Gupta, Principal Secretary Finance Satosh D Vaidya, Managing Directors of DISCOMs, senior officers of the PDD, and other concerned officials.

Kashmir-based officers joined the meeting virtually.