CM Omar Abdullah reviews electricity supply, calls for minimising distress cuts

Jammu, Dec 4 (PTI) Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Wednesday laid stress on implementing transparent curtailment and minimising distress cuts in power supply during peak winter.

Abdullah was chairing a comprehensive review meeting of the power development department at the civil secretariat.

The meeting focused on addressing power supply challenges, curtailment schedules, revenue realisation and strategies for improving the efficiency of the power sector during the peak winter season, a spokesperson said.

The chief minister emphasised on minimising distress cuts so that the public could begin to trust the schedule of power cuts notified by the department.

“Deviations from announced curtailment schedules must be kept to an absolute bare minimum. While people are ready to accept planned curtailments, unexpected and prolonged power cuts are difficult for them to tolerate,” he said.

Abdullah reiterated the need for a clear and reliable curtailment programme, stressing that distressed curtailments should be rare and well-communicated.

The chief minister launched monitoring of the load curtailment programme by logging into LCPJK.in, marking a significant step towards ensuring transparency and accountability in power curtailment schedules.

The chief minister reiterated strict monitoring and efficient execution of curtailment plans to ensure reliable power supply while safeguarding the interests of consumers.

The meeting also reviewed consumer and load profiles across Kashmir districts, focusing on consumer counts and challenges in meeting load requirements, the spokesperson said.

He said discussions were held on strategies to address aggregate technical and commercial losses through targeted interventions and mechanisms to plug revenue leakages.

The chief minister reviewed the physical and financial progress of ongoing projects being executed under the Union Territory budget, centrally-sponsored schemes, and the prime minister’s development package.