Ensure 22 hours power in cities, 16 in villages: UP CM Akhilesh Yadav to dept

Lucknow, Sept 23: Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav on Tuesday directed the power department to take steps to ensure that electricity is supplied for 22 hours in urban and 16 hours in rural areas by 2016.

He asked the department to work on production, transmission and distribution fronts at a review meeting, Chief Secretary Alok Ranjan said.

"The chief minister has directed to work on production, transmission and distribution to ensure 22 hours power supply in urban and 16 hours in rural areas by 2016 as promised by him," Ranjan told reporters after the meeting.

Yadav was told that by 2016 the power demand will touch 23,000 MW and to ensure the promised power supply, power production of 21,000 MW will be needed, he said.

To achieve the target, power transmission segment will need Rs 22,500 crore while Rs 15,000 crore for distribution, Ranjan said, adding that the CM has directed Finance and Power department officers to generate resources for it.

PTI