Ranchi, June 19: Union Minister for Power and Housing and Urban Affairs, Manohar Lal, conducted a review of electricity and urban development initiatives in Jharkhand on Friday.
The meeting was attended by Sudivya Kumar, Minister of Urban Development and Housing for the Jharkhand government, along with senior officials from the state government, central government, and public sector electricity companies.
During the meeting, the Union Minister highlighted key areas where the state’s electricity department could implement a comprehensive action plan. Discussions included the Reformed Distribution Sector Scheme (RDSS), operational and financial metrics of DISCOMs, resource adequacy, and planning for transmission infrastructure to meet future electricity demand.
He pointed out the high Aggregate Technical and Commercial (AT&C) losses in Jharkhand and urged the state to take concrete steps to bring these losses down to sustainable levels.
The Minister called on the state government to work towards restructuring the debt liabilities of the State Distribution Commission (DISCOM). He emphasized the need for timely settlement of dues owed by government departments and urged the state to establish a robust mechanism for regular payments, particularly focusing on converting meters for government consumers to prepaid by August 31, 2026.
The meeting also addressed the need to maximize the installation of smart meters for high-consumption commercial and industrial consumers by August 31, 2026, and to expedite the installation process for other consumer categories.
The Union Minister reviewed the status of resource adequacy and inter-state transmission planning to meet rising demand. He also assessed the progress of grid electrification for tribal families under the Dharati Aba Tribal Village Utkarsh Campaign (DA-JEJUAA) and directed the state to accelerate implementation.
Regarding the Prime Minister‘s Free Electricity Scheme and the PM KUSUM Scheme, the Minister urged the state to expedite implementation to meet the targets set under both initiatives. He advised increasing rooftop electricity supply on government buildings as a priority, which would help reduce the financial burden on the state’s budget due to decreased demand from the grid.
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