SRINAGAR: Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha made a significant announcement on Monday, stating that while the government will assist those unable to afford their power bills, individuals residing in lavish homes with luxury amenities like iPhones and 5G internet service will be required to pay power tariffs based on their consumption.
“Let me announce today that the government will take care of the poor who can’t afford to pay bills. But those who have palatial houses, I-Phones with 5G internet data and other gadgets will have to pay power bills as per their usage. They shouldn’t at least make excuses in paying the power bills,” LG said while addressing a gathering at Mini-Secretariat in Southern district of Kulgam.
Sinha highlighted that over the past 70 years, the region has generated a local power capacity of 3400 MW, and in the upcoming three years, a comparable capacity will be achieved. He emphasized that in areas where 100 percent metering is in place, power interruptions will be minimal, ranging from seconds to minutes.
“I earnestly urge citizens to collaborate with us in facilitating the swift implementation of smart meter installations,” Sinha added.
The Lieutenant Governor pointed out that residents of Jammu and Kashmir enjoy the privilege of accessing electricity at a lower cost than residents of other states. However, he emphasised that the practice of borrowing approximately Rs 20,000 Crore worth of electricity from external sources over the past three to four years cannot continue. He underscored that it is essential for people to contribute based on their usage.
“Given the J&K’s topography and snowfall, some projects get delayed. Delay in completion of projects has been given to us in legacy and we are trying to break this tradition of delay in projects’ completion,” he asserted.
In regard to the farming community, Sinha shared that currently, J&K’s farmers rank fifth in terms of income across the country. He expressed optimism that with ongoing efforts, J&K’s farmers will eventually attain the top position in terms of income. (KNO)
