TEAM HERALD
teamherald@herald-goa.com
PANJIM: The Union government has requested all State governments to enact a suitable legislation based on the Model State Electricity Distribution Responsibility Bill within six months from the date of notification.
The State is facing a problem with its electricity supply with industries operators complaining about the power problems faced in industrial estates and locals agitating that no new construction licences should be given unless infrastructure such as uninterrupted power supply becomes a norm in the State.
Model State Electricity Distribution Responsibility Bill, which is under finalization in the Ministry of Power, seeks to provide for responsibilities of the State Government to ensure financial and operational turn around and long term sustainability of the State owned Distribution Licensee to enable adequate and affordable electricity supply to consumers through financial restructuring.
On the distribution sector reforms and strengthening of state transmission network, the Central Government is ready to provide grant equal to additional energy saved by reduction in AT&C losses beyond RAPDRP loss trajectory and 25% capital reimbursement support on liability taken over by state. In addition to this, bonds will be taken over by the state in a phased manner in next two to five years by issuing special securities adhering to their FRBM limits.
The seventh Conference of Power Ministers of States and UTs held in Delhi Tuesday deliberated upon several issues related to the sector and resolved to provide affordable and adequate power to consumers by making electricity accessible to all particularly to those habitations that are not connected with the Grid.
The Union Minister of State for Power (I/C) Jyotiraditya Scindia while inaugurating the Conference emphasized that restoring the financial health of the State-owned distribution utilities should be the topmost priority of State governments. Scindia enumerated the measures being taken to step up gas supply to gas-based power projects like the recent decision taken at the EGOM to put a cap on the total domestic gas supply to fertilizer sector at their present level of 31.5 MMSCMD and to allocate all additional domestic gas from the years 2013-14, 2014-15 and 2015-16 to power sector.
He said that a gas pooling proposal is also being prepared by the Power Ministry.
