Arunachal government seeks 'special consideration' for Power sector

OUR CORRESPONDENT

ITANAGAR: The Arunachal Pradesh government has urged the Centre for "special consideration" with respect to the State's Power sector under the 'Atma Nirbhar Bharat Abhiyan'.

Deputy Chief Minister Chowna Mein sought the special consideration in the implementation of system upgradation for generation, transmission and distribution of power, saying heavy rains, landslides and snowfall in the hilly state damage the power infrastructure.

Mein, who also holds the Power portfolio, was speaking at a video conference with Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Power and New and Renewable Energy, RK Singh, and power ministers of all States and Union Territories on Friday. He said that a major portion of the existing power infrastructure in the State is very old except those made recently under the 'Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Gram Jyoti Yojana' (DDUGJY) and 'Saubhagya' schemes, an official communiqué said.

Mein put forward the need for adequate financial support for replacing and improving existing transmission lines, substations, transformers and other infrastructures, it said. He also requested the Centre for financial support so that the State can reduce aggregate technical and commercial losses.

Mein also said that the remaining works under the Integrated Power Development System and the DDUGJY schemes are likely to be completed by December.

While welcoming the amendments proposed in the Electricity Act, 2003, Mein said the proposed amendment should not take away the rights of the state as the matter pertains to the concurrent list, it said.

He spoke about the Arunachal Pradesh government's comprehensive plan of developing 135 small hydropower projects with a total capacity of 356 MW across 25 districts, the concept paper of which was submitted to the Union ministry, the communiqué said. Once completed, the projects will be able to mitigate the peak power demand in the State, Mein said. He further requested that government buildings in the Northeast be given subsidy for grid-connected rooftop solar projects.

Mein urged that the Power Grid Corporation of India Limited (PGCIL) may be pulled up to complete the 'Comprehensive Transmission Scheme' in the State which was started in 2015 but is still incomplete.

He said that the State has harnessed hydropower from Ranganadi project (405 MW), Pare project (110 MW), Kameng (300 MW), Dikshi (24 MW) and 128 small hydro projects with a total capacity of 63.4 MW. The Deputy Chief Minister said the 2000 MW Subansiri project is at an advanced stage and is targeted to be completed by 2023.  

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