Union Minister Reviews Power Sector and Urban Development Projects in Jharkhand

Ranchi: Union Minister for Power and Housing & Urban Affairs Manohar Lal on Thursday reviewed the progress of Jharkhand’s power sector and urban development initiatives during a high-level meeting in Ranchi.

The meeting was attended by Jharkhand Urban Development and Housing Minister Sudivya Kumar Sonu, senior officials of the state government, representatives from the Union Ministry of Power, the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, and officials of Central Public Sector Enterprises.

At the outset, the Union Minister outlined key areas requiring focused attention from the state’s power department and called for a comprehensive action plan. Discussions covered the implementation of the Revamped Distribution Sector Scheme (RDSS), operational and financial performance of distribution companies (DISCOMs), resource adequacy to meet future electricity demand, and transmission infrastructure planning.

Expressing concern over the high level of Aggregate Technical and Commercial (AT&C) losses and the significant gap between the Average Cost of Supply (ACS) and Average Revenue Realisation (ARR), Manohar Lal urged the state government to take concrete measures to bring these indicators to sustainable levels.

He also emphasized the need to restructure the debt liabilities of government-owned DISCOMs and called for the timely settlement of outstanding electricity dues by government departments. The Minister stressed the importance of converting all electricity meters installed at government offices and institutions into prepaid meters by August 31, 2026, to ensure a regular payment mechanism.

The meeting further decided that the installation of smart meters for high-load consumers, including commercial and industrial users, should be completed by August 31, 2026. The state was also advised to accelerate smart meter deployment across other consumer categories.

Reviewing the state’s preparedness to meet rising power demand, the Minister assessed resource adequacy and intra-state transmission planning. He also examined the progress of rural electrification under the Dharti Aaba Janjatiya Gram Utkarsh Abhiyan (DA-JGUA) and urged faster implementation to ensure timely benefits for tribal households.

Manohar Lal also reviewed the progress of the PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana and the PM-KUSUM Scheme, directing officials to expedite implementation and achieve prescribed targets. He recommended prioritizing rooftop solar installations on government buildings to reduce dependence on grid power and ease the state’s financial burden.

Reaffirming the Centre’s commitment to Jharkhand’s development, the Union Minister assured continued support from the Government of India for strengthening the state’s power infrastructure and urban development initiatives.

Welcoming the Union Minister, Jharkhand’s Power Minister thanked him for reviewing the state’s power sector and assured that all necessary steps would be taken to improve performance and ensure speedy execution of approved projects.