Power ministers of the Northeastern states have sought greater financial assistance from the Centre for modernising the regional power grid and implementing key projects to improve electricity supply in the region, an official statement released yesterday said.
The demand was raised at a meeting with Union Power Minister Manohar Lal Khattar in New Delhi on Tuesday. Led by North Eastern Regional Power Committee (NERPC) Chairman and Meghalaya Power Minister Metbah Lyngdoh, the delegation included Mizoram Power Minister F Rodingliana, Arunachal Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Chowna Mein and senior officials from the northeastern states.
The ministers urged the Centre to provide the funds required for grid modernisation and sought special assistance for projects already submitted by the states under the Power System Development Fund (PSDF), following changes in the scheme’s implementation, the statement said.
They also highlighted priority projects for the region, including Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) or Energy Management System (EMS) and Emergency Restoration System (ERS), and sought central support for their implementation, it said.
The ministers apprised of the difficulties faced by the Northeastern states in executing power infrastructure projects due to the region’s challenging terrain. They said that long transmission lines are often required to supply electricity to remote and scattered settlements, making reliable power supply difficult and stressed the need for additional substations in far-flung areas.
Rodingliana urged Khattar to formulate a mechanism for more transparent and effective utilisation of the 10 per cent Gross Budgetary Support (GBS) earmarked for the Northeast by 54 Union ministries. He also sought a larger allocation from the 10 per cent GBS specifically for development of the power sector in the region.
Khattar said he would take up the funding requirements raised by the Northeastern states with the Union Finance Minister, according to the statement. However, he noted that the Centre may not be able to bear the entire cost of all proposed projects and the states would also have to contribute, it said.
The states’ capacity to contribute would have to be assessed before a comprehensive proposal is prepared and pursued with the Ministry of Finance, Khattar said.
The Union Power Minister also urged the states to expedite the ongoing installation of smart meters and stressed the need for “check meters” to help consumers verify and understand smart-meter readings.
He further called for sustained efforts to reduce transmission losses and promote commercialisation in the power sector wherever feasible. The NERPC was constituted under the Ministry of Power in accordance with the Electricity Act, 2003, and comprises the seven Northeastern states. Its chairmanship rotates among the member states.
