The State government is taking up all measures to launch the integrated video, internet and telephone (three services at doorstep) in all the districts from March 2016. Initially, a target has been set to complete the fibre grid works in Visakhapatnam, Vizianagaram and Srikakulam districts by December this year.
Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu reviewed the progress fibre grid works being taken up at a cost of Rs. 333 crore under first phase in the State with power, INCAP, fibre grid authorities through teleconference here on Wednesday. He directed all the authorities to complete the fibre grid laying works by March 2016 across the State and said Andhra Pradesh was the first State to launch fibre grid works in the country.
In all, cables have to be laid covering a distance of about 30,000 km, using the existing 3.5 lakh electricity poles. Efforts are also being made to complete the GIS mapping of 2500 sub stations at the earliest. As part of this project, nearly 2600 Point of Presence have to be established across the State. Mr. Naidu wanted a coordinated effort among electricity, INCAP and fibre grid authorities and an Electricity Department divisional engineer would be appointed as a nodal officer at each district level for better coordination. He complimented the Electricity Department for reducing the transmission and distribution losses and bagging the first place in the country by taking over Kerala.
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“The existing transmission and distribution losses are put at 10.37 per cent and this has to be brought down to at least 9 per cent. By establishing 2.2 lakh LED streetlights and 65 lakh LED bulbs in domestic sector, 45 per cent of power was saved,” said Mr. Naidu.
As a pilot project, plans are being laid to operate 2500 agriculture pump sets in East Godavari district using solar power.