SRINAGAR: Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah reiterated a key promise from JKNC’s manifesto, announcing plans to provide 200 free units of electricity to eligible households by March or April 2025.
During his media interaction at SKICC Srinagar Omar said that the scheme, which aims to alleviate the financial burden on residents, can only be successfully implemented if complete metering is achieved. “Our manifesto promises of providing 200 free units of electricity, which can only be fulfilled if we achieve complete metering,” he said, adding that the scheme will be rolled out in March or April and will be available exclusively to households with meters.
Abdullah was addressing questions about ongoing power shortages in the region. While acknowledging the issues, he outlined the efforts being made to improve the power supply situation. “Power cuts are still there, and I agree. This year, we are providing more electricity, around 1,700 to 1,800 megawatts, but we still face shortages because the load exceeds the supply,” he said.
Abdullah pointed to the completion of ongoing power projects as a key solution to the crisis. “Once these projects are completed, we will be able to bank surplus power during summers and utilize it in winters. That will significantly ease the situation,” he added.
The Chief Minister also addressed the high Aggregate Technical and Commercial (AT&C) losses in the region, which exceed 50 percent. “For comparison, other states maintain losses at around 20 percent. We must aim to bring our losses down to that level,” he said.
Regarding the unscheduled power cuts, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah explained that these interruptions typically occur during maintenance work and the department has been advised to advertise the schedules.
