CM KCR moots on need for a national power policy

Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao has said there was a need to bring a comprehensive national power policy to ensure quality, uninterrupted power supply to all sectors of consumers. Though not even half of the total power generation capacity in the country is being used, several parts of India were living without electricity and power cuts are a frequent occurrence all over the country, he said.

The Chief Minister’s observation came at a meeting with Power Finance Corporation (PFC) Chairman Rajiv Sharma, who met with Chandrasehkhar Rao at Pragati Bhavan here on Sunday. The PFC Chairman, over three days, visited several power plants in the State and the Kaleshwaram irrigation project.

It was during a discussion between the two at a meeting which was also attended by TS Genco and Transco CMD D Prabhakar Rao, Chief Advisor to the State Government Rajiv Sharma, Chief Secretary SK Joshi, CMO Principal Secretary S Narsing Rao, and Secretaries Smita Sabharwal and Bhupal Reddy that the issue of making most of the installed power generation capacity in the country came up.

Chandrashekhar Rao recalled the severe power crisis that Telangana was staring at when the State was formed and how the power deficit was turning into a hindrance to the State’s development. “We decided that unless we solve



the power problem, the State cannot progress and adopted a comprehensive plan to set the power sector in order. Within six months, we lifted power cuts,” he said.

The Chief Minister said all sectors of consumers in Telangana were receiving quality power supply along with the agriculture sector that was getting round-the-clock power. “This resulted in an increase in agricultural output and industries are working in three shifts. In turn, this led to employment and increase in the State’s income. We improved the distribution and supply network to eliminate low voltage problem and transformer failures. As on date, we have network in place to use 20,000 MWs,” Chandrashekhar Rao said.

The Chief Minister thanked the PFC Chairman for the Corporation extending finances for setting up of power plants and revamping of the power sector infrastructure. Chandrashekhar Rao also thanked Rajiv Sharma for extending financial assistance to irrigation projects in the State.

Chandrashekhar Rao said the PFC’s financial assistance helped the State in solving its power crisis in a very short time and in its march towards becoming a power surplus state. He also felicitated the PFC Chairman Rajiv Sharma and his wife, and presented mementos to them.