Chief Secretary reviews progress on RDSS works; asks for expeditious completion

BY:-/Aijaz Rather

SRINAGAR, SEPTEMBER 24: (JKNN)/ Chief Secretary, Atal Dulloo, today chaired a meeting of Power Development Department (PDD) to assess progress on Revamped Distribution Sector Scheme (RDSS) tailored to achieve reduction in distribution losses. Besides Principal Secretary PDD, the meeting was attended by Principal Secretary, Finance; MD JPDCL/KPDCL; Chief Engineers, representatives from PESL, NTPC and other concerned officers of the department.
The Chief Secretary, while speaking in the meeting, asked the department to make strenuous efforts towards achieving time bound progress on implementation of this ambitious scheme. He termed it significant for substantial reduction in Actual Technical & Commercial (AT&C) losses across the UT.
Dulloo asked the department to devise a proper monitoring mechanism to ensure timely execution of works with desired outcomes. He enjoined upon the DISCOMS of both the divisions to ensure the set targets are achieved within the fixed deadline.
The Chief Secretary enquired about the status of smart metering and other loss reduction works accomplished in different districts of the UT by different executing agencies. He also asked about the physical progress registered in each package of work awarded to PIA.
In the presentation, the Principal Secretary Power, H. Rajesh Prasad, gave out a detailed description about the RDSS works being executed across different districts of the UT.
Regarding its objectives, he informed that the scheme aims at improving the quality, reliability and affordability of power supply to customers through an efficient distribution system.
The meeting was further apprised that implementation of these works had resulted in sharp decline in the gap between Average Cost of Power (ACP) and Average Revenue Realised (ARR).
As far as other LR works are concerned, it was added that the scope includes LT cable replacement work, HVDS, HT Line cabling, HT Line (Conductor), Feeder segregation etc. It was also revealed that different project implementing agencies including PESL, NTPC, RECPDCL have been assigned specific works for completion in a time bound manner.

(JKNN)