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| Perform on power or privatize: Rather to Govt | | Abhishek | | JAMMU |JAN 29
Government should seriously think about privatizing the power department in the state in light of the whopping distribution losses as well as its failure in realizing the revenue.
Exhorting the state Assembly to oppose the demand for grants made by the Power Minister in the House today, Rather said " We are not rubber stamps and the govt must take the House in confidence before the grants are passed."
Leader of Opposition, Abdul Rahim Rather was speaking during the discussion on grants of the power department in the State Assembly today.
Criticizing the state government for its failure on the power front, Rather exhorted the entire House to oppose the grants as power department had neither plugged the transmission losses nor was able to realize the revenue.
Coming down heavily on the alleged transmission losses, the NC leader said that he was not able to understand why J&K lost 47 percent power during transmission itself.
"Why do we lose so much power and who is responsible for this mismanagement", the House wants the answers, said Rather, adding that nowhere in the country the transmission losses were so high as in Jammu and Kashmir.
Rather said that during a meeting of power ministers' during Rajiv era, one of the state minister was embarrassed in telling that his state had 22 percent transmission, " I was shocked at that time as I represented J&K which had 47 percent loss of power".
Citing figures, Rather said that power worth 832 crores was purchased during 2002-2003 and revenue of 203 crores was realized by the concerned department.
However, during last year power worth 1600 crore was purchased but only 172 crore has been realized, according to the budget document.
Taking a critical shot at the policies and actions pursued by the power development department, Rather said "I can't understand why the tenders which were floated in January 2006 for power transformers have not been executed", adding that this was the reason that people were suffering in urban and rural areas.
When the transformers fail in a area the power department is not able to replace them, said the NC stalwart, alleging that department officials timed the tenders to suit their own vested interests.
Rather also took the government to task for ignoring local industries and favouring orders to some Himachal based industrialists. |
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