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The Union Minister of Power, Shri P.M. Sayeed has stressed the need for plugging pilferage and improving the Power Distribution System in order to contain the Aggregate Technical and Commercial (AT&C) losses. Addressing the Consultative Committee meeting of the Members of Parliament attached to the Ministry of Power here today, Shri Sayeed said that this was a national problem, Government is doing its utmost to devise ways and means to tackle the situation. The topic of the discussion was “Transmission and Distribution Losses/ Aggregate Technical and Commercial (AT&C) Losses”.
Members of Parliament who attended the Meeting made valuable suggestions during the meeting. Some members pointed out that there was a mis-match between transmission and distribution system and generation and suggested replacement of faulty meters to avoid theft and pilferage. Most Members complemented the Ministry on the informative “Presentation” made at the meeting and pointed out the need for investment of sufficient funds for renovation and modernisation, so as to reduce the AT&C loses. Members suggested awareness campaigns and a mass-movement to deal with the problem in its entirety. A member suggested introduction of incentive schemes for the areas who are doing well.
A Member of Parliament complemented the Minister and said the fact that the Consultative Committee under the Chairmanship of the Minister had discussed the issue earlier and is also deliberating it today proves how seriously the Government is seized of the matter and the importance attached to the subject. Suggestions were also made that the deliberations and minutes of the meeting should go to the states for further discussion that the states could come forth with a foolproof strategy to deal with the issue. Suggestions like energy/power auditing of all feeders were also made during the meeting. There was also a suggestion that since overloading has been a major cause of theft particularly in the villages has also to be tackled. Suggestions on introduction of computerized billing in all the states, training as a continuous and compulsory programme, identification of industry-concentration areas where power problem is more acute, and the involvement of local Panchayats in order to deal with the situation were also made at the meeting.
Members who attended the meeting were Dr. (Col.) Dhani Ram Shandil, Shri M.M. Pallam Raju, Shri Ramesh Bais, Shri Suresh Chandel,, Shri Subhash S. Deshmukh, Ms. Neeta Pateriya, Shri Tek Lal Mahto, Shri K.M. Kader Mohideen, Shri Iliyas Azmi, Shri E. Ponnuswamy, Shri Ajit Kumar Singh, Shri Dharmendra Yadav, (All Members of Lok Sabha) and Shri Ramadhar Kashyap, Shri Harish Rawat, Shri Devdas Apte, Shri Suresh Bhardwaj, Shri Kripal Parmar, Shri Bashistha Narain Singh, Shri Dipankar Mukherjee, (All Members of Rajya Sabha). Shri Basudeb Acharia and Shri K.S. Rao (Both Lok Sabha Members) attended the meeting as a special invitees.
The Secretary, Ministry of Power, Shri R.V. Shahi and other senior officials attended the meeting.
EK/BKS/MK.
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