SRINAGAR: Minister for Health and Medical Education, Social Welfare and Education, Sakeena Itoo on Tuesday, directed the Chief Engineer of the Kashmir Power Distribution Corporation Limited (KPDCL) to conduct a load survey in Kulgam district before any hike in electricity tariffs is made.
Chairing a review meeting at the Civil Secretariat, the Minister said arbitrary and unjustified hikes in electricity bills were causing severe distress among lower-income households. She stressed that any revision in tariffs must be backed by data, fairness, and transparency.
The meeting was attended by MD KPDCL Mehmood Shah, Special Secretary of the Power Development Department, Chief Engineer KPDCL, SE KPDCL Bijbehara, Executive Engineer KPDCL Kulgam, Assistant Executive Engineers of Kulgam, and other officers.
Sakeena directed the Executive Engineer to submit a detailed report on all load revisions carried out in the district during the past three years. She also asked officers to organise grievance redressal camps in DH Pora, Malwan, Khull, and other far-off areas where disputes over arbitrary bill hikes are frequent.
The Minister further instructed the Power Department to put in place strict monitoring mechanisms to prevent unjustified escalation of power charges. She called for thorough audits of billing systems and load sanctions to ensure accuracy and fairness in consumer bills.
Reiterating the government’s commitment to ensuring reliable, affordable and efficient power supply, the Minister warned that any malpractice in billing or distribution would not be tolerated.
During the meeting, she also reviewed the progress of the 10 MVA Receiving Station at Manzgam and directed officers to complete the project before the scheduled date, saying it would significantly improve the power supply in the area.
