Assam Power Department Unsure of Providing 24x7 Power supply by March 2019

Centre may impose penalty, State says it is a gigantic task

STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI, Aug 16: Assam may not be able to meet the Centre’s target of providing 24x7 power supply to all by March 2019.

The Assam Power department has already conveyed the Union Power Ministry that Assam has a number of challenges in the field of power sector which need to be addressed first. Even though the department is leaving no stone unturned to address such challenges at the earliest, completion of such gigantic task may not be possible by March 2019.

“If the power sector’s challenges are not met first, Assam will not be able to meet the Centre’s target. Hence the Assam Government has requested the Centre not to penalize the State in case it fails to provide round-the-clock power supply to all by March, 2019,” a source in State Power department told The Sentinel.

The Centre has told all States that it will be a legal obligation to provide round-the-clock power supply from March next year. After March 2019, if there is any load shedding without any reason, there will be penalties except in case of technical issues or act of God.

On other hand, Assam is confident of fulfilling Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s ambitious scheme of providing electricity to all households in the State. A total of 41 lakhs out of 64 lakhs households in the State have already been electrified and the rest 23 lakhs will be covered under the Prime Minister’s scheme by December 31 this year.

The Assam Power Distribution Company Limited has chalked out a plan to replace all bamboo and wooden electric poles with concrete ones for which Rs 25 crore has been earmarked.