In defence of Discoms N KCR extends helping hand to power utilities

Hyderabad: Telangana State Government has come to the rescue of the Discoms, which have been financially struggling and are finding it difficult to furnish Letter of Credit (LoC) to the power generators to purchase power on regular basis from August.

The Union Ministry of Power had recently issued orders that power distribution companies must submit LoC to the generators as an assurance of payment in lieu of power supplies. The distribution companies, which are not in good financial position, can open letters of credit for even one day, one week or a fortnight of electricity supply and keep renewing them.

Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao on Wednesday held a high-level meeting with top officials and reviewed the financial status of the power utilities here. He assured that the government would give necessary financial support to the Telangana Electricity Organisations and would extend all the support to them and stand by them.

He instructed Finance Secretary K Ramakrishna Rao to prepare contingency plans to extend financial help to the electricity companies as and when they require financial help.Supply of uninterrupted quality power for all sectors in the State has to be ensured and there can be no compromise at all.

Farmers are given free 24X7 power supply. Due to the supply of quality power, there is a growth and development in the industrial sector, he said. The electricity organisations need further development and they should not face any financial problems come what may.

"All the required measures will be taken to prevent the electricity organisations getting into any financial crisis, as the organisations have proved their mettle in generation, distribution and supply of power and they stood as role model to others in the country," he said. The CM said that the government's motto is "no power breakdown even for a wink of an eye, no financial trouble for the electricity organisations".

Chief Minister made it clear that paying of power charges whether it be the local bodies or any government office or department and that too in time was mandatory. For that, he said, "very soon 'Power Week' will be observed in all the villages and towns to settle all the power-related problems and issues."

Expressing displeasure over pending power dues by the gram panchayats and municipalities, the chief minister said, from now onwards, village panchayats, municipalities, corporations and other utilities would have to pay their power bills every month without fail.

He emphasised on discipline in government departments. Many government departments are not paying electricity bills in time. From now onwards, the Finance department will pay the bills of the departments concerned from the budgetary allocation of various departments. "Install prepaid meters at all the government departments," he said.

The CM also instructed the Irrigation and Electricity officials to make an assessment regularly on how much quantum of power is needed from time to time for the Lift Irrigation Schemes and how to procure it. They should make estimates based on their assessment and go ahead with the action plan. He suggested that solar power be used for lift irrigation purposes and asked the officials to call for tenders.