Biren calls for judicious consumption of electricity, water

Imphal: Manipur chief minister N. Biren Singh appealed to the public to consume electricity and water judiciously and keep such a habit of using only the required amount of electricity and water to help in preserving valuable energy resource.

The chief minister was addressing the gathering at the State Level Grand Finale Event of Ujjwal Bharat, Ujjwal Bhavishya, Power @ 2047 (Bijli Mahotsav & Ujala Diwas) held on Saturday at City Convention Centre, Imphal as a part of the celebration of 75 years of Indian Independence.

The programme was organised by the state power department.

The state government purchases electricity from Power companies at Rs 10 per unit for supply of electricity to the state. However, the state government has been providing electricity to the public at the subsidised rate ranging from Rs 5.50 to 6.50 per unit and as such an amount of around Rs 350 crore is spent every year in subsidy, Biren said.

He, therefore, appealed to the public not to waste electricity as a large amount of state’s revenue, an important factor for taking up development works, is drained out in purchasing electricity.

The government has been putting in every effort to cover far flung areas of the state in all its infrastructure development programmes. He informed that those areas without electricity connection are provided power supply through off-grid power system adding that 68 health care centres in Churachandpur, Chandel and Tamenglong had been facilitated with round the clock power supply through solar power system.

Expressing satisfaction on learning that 4.10 out of 5.06 lakh power consumers had been brought under the pre-paid meter system, Biren congratulated the power minister and the employees of the power department for such an achievement. He informed that procurement of another two lakh pre-paid meters is in process and the installation would be done by the year end.

Power minister Thongam Biswajit Singh stated the Grand Finale Event was organised in four places of the state at Bishnupur, Churachandpur, Thoubal and the one at City Convention Centre, Imphal.

Informing that the central government have come up with Revamped Distribution Sector scheme with the objective to improve the quality, reliability and affordability of power supply to consumers, he expressed hopefulness that the power department would be able to maintain round the clock quality power supply by improving the power system in the state under the scheme.

He informed that the stringing line for Imphal-Mariani had been completed and added the state can now bring in power supply from different states. As such, there would be no shortage of power supply in the state, he added.

The Grand Finale of the weeklong celebration of Ujjwal Bharat, Ujjwal Bhavishya, Power @ 2047 (Bijli Mahotsav & Ujala Diwas), which had been carried on across the country in 761 districts including 16 districts of Manipur. The celebration is to reminisce about the progress made in the power sector over the last many years and how it has impacted the life of the people across the country.

PHED minister Leishangthem Susindro Meitei, social welfare minister Heikham Dingo, MLA Sanasam Premchandra Singh, MLA Sapam Kunjakeswor Singh, MLA Khongbantabam Ibomcha Singh, chief secretary Dr.Rajesh Kumar, principal secretary (power) Rajesh Agrawal, senior officials, employees of the power Ddpartment and beneficiaries also attended the programme among others.