Power haunts Dikshit in run up to elections
23 Oct 2013 5:49 AM IST
The veteran Congress leader was on Tuesday at pains to ward off charges leveled against her government for over a decade now that it was ‘soft’ towards Reliance-owned BSES.
The corporate major, which controls power distribution in two-thirds of Delhi and has repeatedly defaulted on paying dues to the power suppliers including government-owned Delhi Transmission Limited, has been bailed out by Dikshit government through subsidies. The BSES, on last count, owed over Rs 4,000 crore to Delhi government companies. Other suppliers like Damodar Valley Corporation and Satluj Vidyut Jal Nigam Limited (SVJNL), both central government undertakings, have already stopped power supply to the capital due to non-payment.
Dikshit said that the opposition parties have been making impractical promises on effecting reduction in power tariff by 30 % on formation of their government after the elections. ‘They do not have any magic wand to fulfill this promise. It is only possible by curtailing power supply by 30%.’
She added the Opposition was making mischievous statements whereas her government has been ensuring round the clock power supply apart from keeping the power tariff at the lowest level in comparison to all metro cities and all NCR towns. ‘The installed capacity which was 1054 MW in 2003 has gone up to 2,235 MW in 2013, hike in power generation between 84 to 91%.
The number of consumers has become double. Further, with substantial downfall in transmission losses, the city government could save an amount of Rs 30 thousand crore which was properly utilised on infrastructural development. The similar amount otherwise would have to be generated by levying huge taxes,’ said Dikshit.
She added huge investment in power sector on the transformers, sub stations have resulted in minimal disruption in supply apart from providing reliable quality supply. ‘In Delhi, there are 99.01 % electrified dwelling units. Is it not a big achievement?’ she asked.
The corporate major, which controls power distribution in two-thirds of Delhi and has repeatedly defaulted on paying dues to the power suppliers including government-owned Delhi Transmission Limited, has been bailed out by Dikshit government through subsidies. The BSES, on last count, owed over Rs 4,000 crore to Delhi government companies. Other suppliers like Damodar Valley Corporation and Satluj Vidyut Jal Nigam Limited (SVJNL), both central government undertakings, have already stopped power supply to the capital due to non-payment.
Dikshit said that the opposition parties have been making impractical promises on effecting reduction in power tariff by 30 % on formation of their government after the elections. ‘They do not have any magic wand to fulfill this promise. It is only possible by curtailing power supply by 30%.’
She added the Opposition was making mischievous statements whereas her government has been ensuring round the clock power supply apart from keeping the power tariff at the lowest level in comparison to all metro cities and all NCR towns. ‘The installed capacity which was 1054 MW in 2003 has gone up to 2,235 MW in 2013, hike in power generation between 84 to 91%.
The number of consumers has become double. Further, with substantial downfall in transmission losses, the city government could save an amount of Rs 30 thousand crore which was properly utilised on infrastructural development. The similar amount otherwise would have to be generated by levying huge taxes,’ said Dikshit.
She added huge investment in power sector on the transformers, sub stations have resulted in minimal disruption in supply apart from providing reliable quality supply. ‘In Delhi, there are 99.01 % electrified dwelling units. Is it not a big achievement?’ she asked.
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