UP taking various steps to improve power situation

Mathura, Oct 22: Uttar Pradesh government is taking slew of measures to improve power supply to the people of the state, counting on initiatives like 'trust billing system' and e. solution app.

"While for honest consumer 'trust billing system' is on the cards, for preventing pilferage, several steps, including on line connection system would be initiated," Uttar Pradesh Power Minister Shrikant Sharma said. In trust billing system, consumer would be offered the facility of 'self billing' like filing of income tax return. However, its misuse would invite punitive action, including heavy penalty, he said.

Moreover, existing meters would be replaced by "smart meters" in order to monitor the power used by consumer, he disclosed. For ensuring proper roaster and adequate power supply in rural areas, he said, monitoring of line loss in feeder system would be the priority. He expects encouraging results with the introduction of 'e. solution app', facebook, twitter, Whatsapp in his department adding that introduction of toll free number (1912) would become an added advantage to consumer. He said not only import capacity of power has been enhanced from 8,100 MW to 10,000 MW but also the capacity of power been increased from 18,500 MW to 22,000 MW.

"We have set target of 26,000 MW extra power by 2022," Sharma said, adding that the priority of the department is to prevent pilferage. The capacity of power plants would also be enhanced, he said adding that like the Ujjwala scheme introduced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi for providing LPG connection to poor, power department has introduced "Saubhagya" scheme for ensuring light in the house of poor.

He said priority of the government is on recovery of arrears, providing 2.10 crore new connections, electricity in 75 'mazars', ensuring installation of meter in every house, upgrading the transformers and replacing old line with the new ones.

PTI