‘200 Units of Free Electricity Per Month for Poorest Households; Six New Divisions, Secretary Technical Post, Separate DIQC Created’
BuzzBytes News Desk
Jammu, May 08: The Jammu and Kashmir Cabinet on Friday authorized the DISCOMs to implement the PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana for AAY households to provide 200 units of free electricity per month, and ordered the creation of six new divisions and several other new posts as part of the reorganisation of the Jal Shakti Department, including Secretary Technical and a separate Design, Inspection and Quality Control (DIQC) unit.
The Cabinet met for over an hour at Chief Minister Omar Abdullah’s Public Service and Outreach Office at Gupkar Road, Srinagar. “Chief Minister chaired a Cabinet meeting today in Srinagar to deliberate on a range of important administrative proposals aimed at strengthening governance and accelerating sustainable and inclusive development across J&K,” a post by the Office of the CM said on X after the meeting, though it did not elaborate.
Official sources told a news agency that the Cabinet approved the creation of six new Divisions in the Jal Shakti Department as part of its Cadre Review and Reorganisation. The new divisions include Hydraulic Divisions at Gandoh, Gurez and Tangdar; PHE Division Mendhar; and two Water Quality and Monitoring Divisions in Jammu and Srinagar. It approved the creation of a Secretary Technical post and a separate DIQC in the JSD, besides the offices of Superintending Engineers, Hydraulic Circles Jammu-II and Bandipora.
The Cabinet is reported to have given its nod to the re-structuring of Mechanical Sub-Divisions, creation of 43 posts by corresponding reduction of existing 62 posts, encadrement of 10 posts, and re-assignment of 137 posts (within cadre). It also gave its nod to the proposal of the Jal Shakti Department for a change in deputation reserve/leave reserve posts. The deputation posts of Chief Engineers have been raised from existing five to seven, while deputation reserve/leave reserve posts of the Superintending Engineers will be at five per cent each from existing 25 per cent to 10 per cent to maintain 30 per cent and 15 per cent strength respectively. The deputation reserve posts of Executive Engineers have been raised from existing 25 per cent to 35 per cent, while the deputation reserve posts of AEEs have been decreased from 25 per cent to 20 per cent.
Meanwhile, the Cabinet authorized the DISCOMs to implement the PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana under the RESCO/Utility-Led Aggregation (ULA) model for installation of 2 KW Rooftop Solar Systems (RTS) for AAY households, to provide 200 units of free electricity per month to them. The Cabinet also authorized the Power Development Department (PDD)/DISCOMs for conveying the decision taken by it and forwarding a draft RFP to the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy for necessary action. The Cabinet decided to authorize the DISCOMs for floating the RFP, including effecting any changes within the overall framework of implementation being approved, and taking further necessary action for the award of work for execution of the scheme.
The scheme will address chronic energy poverty among the poorest households and contribute to Renewable Purchase Obligation (RPO) targets, sources said, adding that this will also reduce transmission losses in remote areas through localized generation, reduce financial stress, enable reasonable electricity usage, and improve living standards of the poorest. (BuzzBytes)
