MARGAO: Union Power Minister Piyush Goyal stated that every part of Goa, including streetlights and households, would be brought under LED lighting as part of a large initiative to make the State a ‘role model for the world’. He said the government would introduce a scheme in which three LED bulbs would be sold to the consumers at Rs 20, making Goa the first state to be powered by LED in two years.
Goyal was speaking at a meeting with Power Minister Milind Naik, Industries Minister Mahadev Naik, and Goa Industries Development Corporation (GIDC) Ganesh Gaonkar in South Goa on Sunday. He exuded confidence that Goa would become 100 percent electrified, with both Centre and State agreeing to work together to supply power to 5,000 houses in remote areas.
Within two years, the government also plans to introduce a scheme to set up smart meters across Goa. Goyal stated that the meters would help consumers monitor and plan their power consumption by the minute. He clarified that the government was not experimenting with new technology, but implementing proven technology.
Stating that the broader aim was to boost power quality and ensure an uninterrupted supply, Goyal justified the hike in electricity tariffs and claimed rollbacks would hit upgradation plans. He pointed out that power tariffs in Goa were amongst the lowest in the country, but acknowledged that consumers were not happy. He said the Centre would try to find an amicable solution.
Goyal added that Goa, by March 2016, would become the first state to be completely connected by technology under RADRP. He also advised the Goa government to corporatize the power department by March and clarified that it was neither a request nor a direction, but mandated by law.
Goyal discussed the proposal with Milind Naik and explained that most states had already taken the corporatisation route. He clarified that all employees would retain their jobs and consumers wouldn’t be adversely affected. He pointed out that consumers stood to receive additional benefits as the corporation could avail low cost borrowings and upgrade transmission lines. He also felt this way the government would be able to upgrade infrastructure and serve people better.
The Union Minister further explained that the Power System Development Fund would upgrade the State’s transmission system, which would check unplanned outages and power fluctuations.
With the State government investing in the upgradation of the transmission capacity for the next three years, Goyal said the government had decided to improve the sub-transmission lines under the Integrated Power Development Scheme. He elaborated that once the State government implemented the scheme, Goa would have quality power supply and no unplanned outages.
Goyal also said the government would introduce a scheme for tapping solar energy. Under the scheme, the NTPC and the solar energy power corporations would convert the rooftops of all government buildings for solar power generation. He felt Goa, being a tourism state, would benefit as it would show the world that it cares about being pollution-free.
