ITANAGAR: Union Minister of Power and Housing & Urban Affairs, Manohar Lal, has highlighted the critical need for compensatory afforestation land to expedite the development of hydro power projects in Arunachal Pradesh.
Chairing a review meeting of the state’s power sector in Itanagar on Monday, Minister Lal suggested exploring afforestation land options in other states to overcome current challenges.
Minister Lal also proposed providing consumers the option for self-meter reading every two months and generating bills through a mobile app.
He highlighted that ensuring the supply of quality power would boost the industrial sector, creating employment opportunities in the state.
The meeting saw participation of Chief Minister Pema Khandu, Deputy Chief Minister Chowna Mein, and Secretary (Power) Pankaj Agarwal, among others.
Detailed discussions were held on various aspects of the power sector in the state, focusing on hydropower generation, power transmission, and distribution.
The deliberations also covered power sector reforms, ease of living for electricity consumers, and resource adequacy planning to meet future demand.
Minister Lal, on his first state visit after the formation of the new government, urged the expeditious implementation of projects sanctioned under the Revamped Distribution Sector Scheme (RDSS).
He recommended implementing reform measures under the scheme to improve the financial viability and operational efficiency of the Power Department.
He also advised targeting an improvement in the consumer service rating from ‘C’ to at least ‘B’ within this year.
Chief Minister Pema Khandu assured the Union Minister of taking necessary policy measures to ensure the growth of the power sector in the state.
He highlighted the accelerated pace of infrastructure development in recent years and sought continued support from the Government of India for future projects.
The Union Minister’s visit and the ensuing discussions mark a significant step towards addressing the power sector challenges in Arunachal Pradesh and ensuring sustainable development through effective policy measures and inter-state cooperation.
