Govt issues orders to set up district-level power committees

To improve quality of electricity supply in the country, the union power ministry has issued an order for setting up district-level committees that will oversee all power-related schemes of the union government.

This comes in the backdrop of the government’s efforts to ensure 24X7 power that is reliable, sustainable and affordable. The government, during the first term of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, had implemented the ₹16,320-crore Saubhagya scheme that aimed to provide electricity to all Indian households. 

“Ministry of Power has issued an order for the setting up of District Level Committees which shall exercise oversight over all power related schemes of Government of India; as also its impact on the provision of services to the people. This is being done in order to ensure the involvement and oversight of the people in the process of power sector reforms, and their implementation, in the country,” power ministry said in a statement on Friday.

The committee will comprise most members of Parliament in the district, district collector, chairperson and president of the district panchayat, MLAs, senior representatives of state-run firms of ministries of power and new and renewable energy and chief engineer and superintending engineer of the electricity distribution company (discom) or the power department.

“The Union Government has been providing funds under different schemes for strengthening the Distribution Systems in the country. In the past five years almost 2 lac crore were provided under Deendayal Upadhyaya Gram Jyoti Yojana(DDUGJY), Integrated Power Development Scheme (lPDS), Pradhan Mantri Sahaj Bijli Har Ghar Yojana(SAUBHAGYA), etc. to ensure universal access by electrifying every village and every hamlet and every household,” the statement said.

This comes at the time of the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) recently approving the marquee ₹3.03 trillion power distribution company (discom) reform scheme.

“The order states that the Committee of a district will meet at District Headquarters at least once in three months to review and coordinate overall development of power supply infrastructure in the district in accordance with the schemes of the Government,” the statement said.