JAMMU, DECEMBER 4: Chief Minister Omar Abdullah held a detailed review meeting of the Power Development Department (PDD) at the Civil Secretariat today. The meeting focused on tackling power supply issues, managing curtailment schedules, increasing revenue collection, and improving the efficiency of the power sector during the winter season.
The Chief Minister emphasized the importance of minimizing unexpected power cuts to build public trust in the PDD’s announced curtailment schedules.
“Planned power outages are acceptable to the public when communicated effectively, but unplanned and prolonged disruptions cause frustration and must be avoided,” he said.
Omar Abdullah stressed the need for a clear and consistent curtailment schedule, adding that any deviations should be minimal and well-communicated.
The meeting was attended by Advisor to the CM Nasir Aslam Wani, Chief Secretary Atal Dulloo, Additional Chief Secretary to the CM Dheeraj Gupta, Principal Secretary PDD Rajesh H. Prasad, Principal Secretary Finance Satosh D. Vaidya, DISCOM Managing Directors, and senior PDD officials. Kashmir-based officers participated virtually.
Principal Secretary PDD, Rajesh H. Prasad, provided a detailed presentation on power supply conditions, load management, revenue collection, power purchase strategies, and curtailment monitoring systems.
The meeting also discussed consumer and load profiles in Kashmir districts, focusing on challenges in meeting demand. Strategies to address Aggregate Technical and Commercial (AT&C) losses and reduce revenue leakages were also deliberated.
A comparative analysis of power availability this winter compared to the previous year was presented, along with a review of the physical and financial progress of projects under the UT budget, Centrally Sponsored Schemes, and the PMDP.
During the meeting, Omar Abdullah inaugurated the Monitoring of Load Curtailment Programme via www.LCPJK.in, a tool designed to ensure transparency and accountability in curtailment plans.
The Chief Minister called for strict monitoring and efficient execution of curtailment schedules to provide a reliable power supply and protect consumer interests.__TKA
