Jaipur : Responding to the discussion on power crisis in Rajasthan Assembly, Energy Minister Heeralal Nagar said that the state has had to face power crisis due to the mismanagement of the previous Congress government. During the Congress government, all three sectors of power generation, transmission and distribution were ignored. Due to not being able to start coal mining from the allotted coal blocks, expensive coal was purchased from other sources. The coal which comes at Rs 4000 per ton was purchased by the previous government as imported coal at the rate of 18 thousand per ton, due to which the burden of fuel surcharge is falling on the general public.
Power cuts will continue till September
During the Congress government, the thermal power plants of the state were producing only 50 percent of their installed capacity of 7 thousand 580 MW. But, the BJP government has increased the PLF as soon as it came. Generation plants have been repaired. Production capacity has been increased by ensuring timely supply of coal. The minister said, ‘To meet the demand of Rabi season in 2023, the Congress government had borrowed electricity from other states through banking. This is the reason why the current BJP government has to return this loan by cutting the electricity of its own state even in this difficult situation. The previous government borrowed 35 thousand 234 lakh units, which is now being returned. Till July, about 24 thousand lakh units have been returned and about 11 thousand lakh units of electricity are to be returned in the next two months.’
Electricity to farmers in two blocks by 2027
Energy Minister Hiralal Nagar said in the Legislative Assembly that our government has signed MoUs with central undertakings to make the state self-reliant in the field of electricity. With this step taken with a visionary thinking, there will be no shortage of electricity in Rajasthan in the coming times. The average power cut has been much less in the year 2024 as compared to the year 2022. We will provide electricity to farmers in two blocks during the day by the year 2027. Regarding agricultural connections, our government has set a target of issuing 1.50 lakh connections. All agricultural connections will be shifted to daytime in the next two years, and they will be connected to solar. At the same time, 1000 MW solar plants will be installed at government offices. Its bid has been issued.
Announcement in the budget to increase solar generation
The Energy Minister said that our government has made extensive announcements in the budget to increase solar generation, so that Discoms will be in a position to provide cheap electricity to consumers by keeping the cost of power purchase to a minimum. Recently, approval of Rs 7896 crore has been received from the Central Government in the RDSS scheme, in which there will be segregation of feeders. The BJP government has set big targets in all three dimensions of power generation, transmission and distribution with a visionary thinking. Under the Shakti Policy, tariff based tender (costing Rs 64 thousand crore) for a total of 11 thousand 200 MW plant by blending 3200 MW thermal plant and 8000 MW solar plant is under process.
‘The goal is to provide quality electricity at the right time’
Keeping in view the future requirements, MoUs have been signed for 3325 MW coal and 28 thousand 500 MW renewable energy through joint ventures with Generation Corporation and Central undertakings like NTPC/NGEL, Coal India, Neyveli Lignite. Their cost is Rs 1 lakh 50 thousand crores. Orders for about 4400 MW have been issued under PM Kusum Yojana Component-C. The Energy Minister said that we have taken up the work of 112 new GSS. Of these, 48 are in progress. Work orders for 22 have been issued. 4 are in the tender process and the tender process for 38 will be started. He said that 1000 MW short term tender is in process for the coming months. Our effort is to provide the right quality of electricity to the consumer on time.
