UP govt to ensure 24-hour power supply during Diwali

Lucknow: The Uttar Pradesh government said on Thursday that it has stepped up preparations to ensure uninterrupted power supply across the state during Diwali, Chhath, and other festivals.

Urban Development and Energy Minister Arvind Kumar Sharma has directed electricity department officials to ensure 24-hour power supply during the festive period, saying unnecessary shutdowns and frequent power cuts would not be tolerated.

“Diwali is the festival of lights, and uninterrupted power supply must be ensured during the festive season,” the minister said. He also directed officials not to disconnect consumers’ electricity connections over pending dues during the festivals. He said while organised, large-scale power theft should be identified and dealt with strictly under the law, small consumers should not face unnecessary harassment.

The minister instructed officials to expedite the disposal of pending electricity connection applications on the Jhatpat portal. He also called for a review of rejected applications to identify shortcomings and improve the system.

Sharma said consumers who regularly pay their electricity bills should not face power cuts or tripping because of other consumers’ outstanding dues. He directed officials to immediately increase transformer capacity wherever necessary to ensure a reliable power supply.

Reviewing the electricity infrastructure in newly constituted nagar panchayats, Sharma directed officials to ensure uninterrupted, quality power supply in these areas, on the same lines as in urban headquarters.

He said the Urban Development Department was ready to provide additional funds wherever required and called for expediting work to strengthen the electricity infrastructure in the newly constituted urban local bodies.

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