Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot inaugurated a new hybrid 132 KV electricity sub-station at Sawai Man Singh Stadium and the new building of the State Power Regulatory Commission here on Wednesday, as he affirmed the State Government’s commitment to achieve self-sufficiency in the power sector.
Mr. Gehlot also released a booklet on the State Biomass Policy-2010 on the occasion. He said the State Government was taking concerted steps for establishing new power plants and attracting investments to the power sector, including the non-conventional energy sources.
Mr. Gehlot pointed out that a target had been set to install six new power plants during the next five years and six more during the 12{+t}{+h} Five Year Plan beginning in 2012: “Our efforts are aimed at securing the future of people in the State and resolving the grievances of domestic, agricultural and industrial power consumers.”
The Chief Minister said the biomass policy would promote the untapped sector in which power generation of 28 MW had already started in the State. There was an immense scope for exploitation of solar energy as well in western parts of the State and the Government was willing to help out entrepreneurs taking up work in the field, he added.
Mr. Gehlot called for evolving a balance between the power companies and consumers to ensure the success of the power sector reforms. He said the reduction in the transmission and distribution losses from 46 per cent to 26 per cent was a “positive signal” and added that power theft should be checked with strong measures.
Energy Minister Jitendra Singh said the production of an additional 1,192 MW power had started in the State during the last year and described the installation of the hybrid 132 KV sub-station as a milestone in expansion of the electricity infrastructure.
Power Regulatory Commission chairperson D. C. Samant, Principal Energy Secretary Shrimat Pandey and officials of the three public sector power distribution companies functioning in Jaipur, Jodhpur and Ajmer attended the function.
