The Power Ministers of all the States resolved to focus on the hydro- and wind-power sectors and work out a comprehensive policy to revive some small (25 MW or less) stalled hydro projects. The resolution came at the end of the two-day meeting of state ministers held in south Goa.
Addressing a press conference. Union Minister for Power, Coal and Renewable Energy Piyush Goyal said that to provide a thrust to the hydro-power sector, a committee had been set up under the chairmanship of West Bengal Power Minister Manish Gupta, with inter-departmental officials and representatives of States, which will submit its recommendations by September 30.
All the Ministers resolved to provide 24x7 power to all households by May 2017, Mr. Piyush Goyal told the media on Friday evening.
In reply to a question, Mr. Goyal ruled out the Centre warning States of stopping finances over procurement of inferior material for its flagship schemes. “We don’t warn anybody. Some apprehensions were expressed in the course of deliberations over-procurement and after discussions, it was resolved by all States to participate in Centralised procurement to avail of benefits like economies of scale, transparent pricing and better equipment.”
Electricity for all
Mr. Goyal said that all States, except those affected by leftwing extremism, had resolved to electrify all villages by December 2016 and contracts for this would be issued within the next 30 days.The Minister also agreed to provide 100 per cent power to all households in 18,452 villages in the country by May 1, 2017.
The participating States also resolved to ensure that operational and financial milestones in the Memorandum of Understanding for the Ujwal Discom Assurance Scheme (UDAY) would be implemented.
All States resolved to procure henceforth only tamper-proof, communication-enabled ‘smart meters’. The Minister said the cost of these smart meters had been brought down by 60 per cent, from Rs. 8,000 to Rs. 3,223 as a result of Central procurement. The price of these meters is expected to drop further to Rs. 999 in a few months.
The Minister also announced that a 4-digit phone number, 1921, had been started for consumer complaints across the country.
