Union Power Secretary reviews situation in NE

Guwahati, July 15 (UNI) Top officials of the power departments of North Eastern states have resolved to ensure a financial turnaround of the power utilities by 2009.

This decision was taken at a meeting of the officials with Union Power Secretary R V Shahi at the Software Technology Park of India here yesterday. Joint Secretary Arvind Yadav and Executive Director Rajiv Sharma also attended the meeting, a statement informed today.

The meeting discussed ways to reduce the average transmission and commercial (T&C) losses at the utility level by 4 to 5 per cent every year and in APDRP towns to a level below 15 per cent.

The participating states agreed to work towards obtaining a profit oriented target to reduce the average T&C losses within the current year, register cash profit by 2006-07 and book profit by 2008-09.

It also resolved to extend the Rural Franchisee scheme to the towns in the region.

Chairmen of the Power Finance Corporation, Power Grid Corporation of India and officials of the ICRA and the Rural Electrification Corporation were also present in the meeting, the statement added.

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