SRINAGAR: Chief Minister Omar Abdullah chaired a comprehensive review meeting of the Power Development Department (PDD) at the Civil Secretariat on Wednesday. The meeting focused on resolving challenges related to power supply, curtailment schedules, revenue collection, and enhancing the efficiency of the power sector.
The Chief Minister emphasised the importance of minimising distress cuts to build public trust in the power curtailment schedules announced by the department. He stated, “Deviations from the announced curtailment schedules must be kept to a bare minimum. While the public is prepared for planned curtailments, unexpected and prolonged power cuts are difficult to tolerate.”
In his address, Abdullah reiterated the need for a clear, reliable curtailment program, stressing that unplanned curtailments should be rare and effectively communicated to the public. The meeting underscored the government’s commitment to transparent and consistent power management.
The review meeting was attended by key officials, including Advisor to CM Nasir Aslam Wani, Chief Secretary Atal Dulloo, Additional Chief Secretary Dheeraj Gupta, Principal Secretary PDD Rajesh H. Prasad, and Principal Secretary Finance Satosh D. Vaidya, along with Managing Directors of DISCOMs and senior PDD officers. Kashmir-based officers joined the meeting virtually.
Rajesh H Prasad presented an in-depth overview of the PDD’s operational status, including load curtailment programs, revenue generation, power purchase economics, and monitoring mechanisms. A detailed review of the consumer and load profiles across Kashmir was also discussed, highlighting the challenges in meeting the district-level power requirements.
The Chief Minister further led discussions on addressing Aggregate Technical & Commercial (AT&C) losses, with plans to implement targeted interventions to reduce revenue leakages. A comparative analysis of power availability this year and last year was also presented, revealing important insights into the department’s operational progress.
Omar Abdullah also reviewed ongoing projects under the UT budget, Centrally Sponsored Schemes, and PMDP, evaluating both physical and financial progress. Key proposed projects were scrutinised for effective execution.
In a major step towards enhancing transparency and accountability, the Chief Minister officially launched the Monitoring of Load Curtailment Programme, accessible at www.LCPJK.in. This platform aims to ensure greater public oversight and better communication regarding power curtailment schedules.
Concluding the meeting, the Chief Minister emphasised the need for strict monitoring and efficient execution of the curtailment plans to guarantee a reliable power supply for consumers, especially during the challenging winter months.
