CS emphasises on accountability, speed to achieve power sector reforms

Jammu, Nov 25: Chief Secretary, Atal Dulloo Tuesday undertook an in-depth review of the reforms being implemented by the Power Development Department (PDD) across Jammu and Kashmir with a focus on enhancing operational efficiency, strengthening infrastructure and substantially reducing power losses under the Revamped Distribution Sector Scheme (RDSS).
The review meeting was attended by Additional Chief Secretary, PDD; Managing Director, JPDCL/KPDCL; Chief Engineers of the Corporations; representatives of NTPC and PESL, besides other senior officers.
Emphasising the need for strict adherence to timelines, the Chief Secretary directed that all ongoing reform works aimed at loss reduction must be completed within the sunset period prescribed under RDSS by the Government of India.
He stressed on fixing daily and weekly targets for all components of loss reduction works, including LT cable replacement, augmentation and replacement of the distribution system, HT line cabling, replacement of HT conductors, feeder segregation and installation of electric poles.
He further underlined the importance of improving feeder-wise billing and revenue collection efficiency and called for stringent action against officials found negligent or lax in discharging their responsibilities. The Chief Secretary instructed the Divisional Commissioners of Jammu and Kashmir to conduct monthly reviews and identify field-level staff failing to perform responsibly.
To prevent delays during the harsh winter season, especially in snow-bound and remote areas, the Chief Secretary underscored the need for advance dumping of essential material in difficult terrains to ensure uninterrupted execution of works despite road closures.
He also directed senior officers and Deputy Commissioners to maintain continuous oversight for timely resolution of bottlenecks and to keep the pace of implementation up to the mark.
The ACS PDD, Shailendra Kumar urged all Project Implementing Agencies (PIAs) to submit comprehensive action plans for accelerating progress on the ground. He encouraged parallel execution of multiple components immediately after the erection of electric poles and sought detailed information on transportation and delivery of materials to remote areas like Marwah, Wadwan, Gurez and Tanghdar.
He also emphasised the need for immediate regularisation of illegal connections to augment government revenue and provide uninterrupted supply to consumers.
Sensitising PESL and NTPC, he called upon them to significantly accelerate their execution pace, assuring them of proportionate funding support once received by the Department from the Ministry of Power. He urged the agencies to clearly define milestones and adhere strictly to committed timelines.
MD JPDCL, Gurpal Singh, in his detailed presentation, outlined the progress of loss reduction, modernisation and smart metering initiatives under Phase-I of RDSS. He informed that works worth Rs 4,709 Cr under loss reduction and Rs 1,053 Cr under smart metering are targeted for completion in this phase across J&K.
He explained that works have been divided into multiple packages and awarded to four PIAs including JPDCL, KPDCL, PESL and NTPC for their completion within stipulated deadlines.
The PIA-wise progress in Loss Reduction and IT/OT works stood at 74% for JPDCL, 73% for KPDCL, 57% and 33% for PESL in Kashmir and Jammu respectively, and 72% and 31% for NTPC in these divisions.
The meeting was further informed that AT&C losses have already been reduced from 58% in 2022 to around 32% at present, with a target to bring them down to 12% by 2028. Similarly, the ACS-ARR gap has been reduced from Rs 3.11 to Rs 1.29, while billing efficiency has improved from 56% to 69% and collection efficiency from 75% to 94%, reflecting significant strides towards financial sustainability and operational efficiency in the power sector.
Regarding smart metering, it was disclosed that out of 7,62,872 meters to be installed by JPDCL, 1,87,894 have been installed so far, while KPDCL has installed 1,93,777 meters out of the targeted 7,27,855, marking steady progress towards a transparent and consumer-friendly power distribution mechanism across the districts of J&K.