Poor will get relief in power bills: LG Sinha

Kulgam: Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha Monday said that the poor would get a relief in their power bills but consumers with ample resources would have to pay the due tariff.

“The government will take care of the poor man who can’t afford to pay power bills but those who have palatial houses, iPhones and 5G internet service and other sophisticated gadgets have to pay power tariff as per their usage. No excuses will be entertained,” the LG said addressing a gathering at Mini Secretariat in south Kashmir’s Kulgam district.

The installation of smart meters in urban and semi-urban areas in Kashmir has evoked protests – mainly in downtown localities of Srinagar with people demanding relaxation and fixing an amount affordable to them.

The LG said that in the last 70 years 3400 MW power was generated in J&K and in the next few years, the government had set a target of 3400 MWs more.

“Let me assure you the area which is fully metered won’t witness a power disruption for even a minute,” he said.

Sinha urged the people to cooperate in completing the process of smart meter installation.

“Compared to other states, J&K is getting the power at cheapest rates. We have purchased electricity worth Rs 20,000 from outside in the past three to four years. So, people must pay as per their usage,” he said.

The LG said that given the topography of J&K and snowfall, some projects get delayed but the government is trying to break the tradition of completion of projects.

He said that J&K was leading the country in so many areas.

“The income generated by J&K’s farmers is presently at number 5 and soon our farmers will be on top,” LG said.

Without naming any politician or any political party, he said certain people were misleading people that non-residents had been given land and homes in J&K.

“In Kulgam district, 29 people were provided land under Prime Ministers Awas Yojna (PMAY) and not a single person is non-J&K resident,” Sinha said.

He said that those who grabbed State land were misguiding people and creating confusion.

“I want to tell them that their days of playing politics of deceit is over,” the LG said.

He said that there were 8000 families who had no land at all and majority of them are nomadic Bakerwals.

Earlier, addressing the inaugural ceremony of Veshaw Literary Festival, Sinha said, “It is time for the writers and artists from J&K to rise and paint the changing picture of J&K through their art and writings.”

He said writers and artists from across the country exchanged views with each other in Srinagar.

“Our government is committed to provide a platform to every section of the society and our youth in shaping their future and be part of the journey of peace and change,” the LG said.

He said that the society that was choked for three decades of violence had now started breathing freely.

“J&K today is ahead of other states both in terms of development and infrastructure,” Sinha said.

He said terrorism and separatism were on deathbed and the time was not far when the “terror ecosystem” would crumble fully in J&K.

“It is high time that every house of J&K must rise to an occasion to reject terrorism so that the entire terror-ecosystem falls down. I believe the time is not far when the terror-eco system will collapse fully,” the LG said.

He said that those whose hands are drenched in the blood of innocents could no more hoodwink people.

“Enough blood of innocents has flown in J&K,” Sinha said

Additional Director General of Police (ADGP), Kashmir, Vijay Kumar also accompanied the LG.