SRINAGAR: The Jammu and Kashmir Government has said a scheme to provide 200 units of free electricity to eligible domestic consumers through 2-kW rooftop solar systems is at the final tendering stage, while ruling out any proposal to waive existing electricity arrears after smart metering.
The Power Development Department (PDD) disclosed the position in a written reply to a starred question by MLA Surjit Singh Slathia (Samba) in the J&K Legislative Assembly.
The department said bids for the rooftop solar scheme under the RESCO mode had been opened and were currently under evaluation. Implementation will begin after completion of the prescribed tendering and related formalities.
On smart metering in Samba district, the government said 26,013 of the targeted 36,736 connections had been covered in the Samba constituency. In Vijaypur, 33,106 of 46,308 targeted connections had been completed, while Ramgarh recorded 9,414 against a physical target of 15,739.
The department said financial targets and achievements were not maintained separately for individual constituencies or districts because the smart metering projects were awarded as composite contracts.
Under PMDP Phase-II, Lot-A, the smart metering project covers Samba, Jammu and Udhampur districts. The project has an awarded cost of Rs 338.75 crore, against which financial achievement stands at Rs 314.58 crore.
The smart metering project under the Revamped Distribution Sector Scheme (RDSS) covers all 10 districts of Jammu Province and has an awarded cost of Rs 983.04 crore. Financial achievement under the project was reported at Rs 34.72 crore.
The department clarified that these financial figures are at project level and cannot be apportioned constituency-wise or district-wise because of the composite nature of the contracts.
On electricity arrears, the government said no proposal is under consideration to waive the dues of consumers following completion of the smart metering process in Samba district.
