Union minister R K Singh today said power ministers of states and union territories are unanimous on achieving 100 per cent household electrification by December 2018 end and all targeted 3.6-crore families will have access to electricity under the Saubhagya scheme by year-end.
The union power minister also said that the meeting took stock of the progress of the Integrated Power Development Scheme (IPDS) and found the pace of work as satisfactory.
The IPDS is for strengthening power distribution networks in the town and covers all aspects like 33 kV lines, 11 kV lines, transformers, substations and meters. The minister said that 99 per cent of works under the IPDS have been awarded and progress has been made on them.
On household electrification target, Singh said, "When we started... last year, the total number of houses to be electrified were 3.6 crore, out of which we have already done 78 lakh. We are confident that we would able to do the remaining by December 31, 2018. The bulk of this is in larger states like Uttar Pradesh (1.2 crore)."
On coal shortage issue, the minister said, "It has been an issue. About 14 per cent more coal is being supplied this year. But demand has grown much faster, that is good thing. It shows that per capita income is increasing. We added 78 lakh new consumers. But in this interim period, we have to monitor very closely."
On the Indus Water Treaty with Pakistan, Singh said, "We subscribe to ...(it). But we are going to use the water which we are allowed to use under that (treaty)."
"In advance countries like Canada, Norway etc, they are exploiting 88 to 90 per cent of their hydro power potential. Why there is no agitation against them. Where are the green groups. I don't know when green groups say hydro is disturbing the environment. I don't know whether they are honest or they are being paid to do so."
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