Comprehensive reforms in energy sector needed, says UP CM Yogi

Lucknow (Uttar Pradesh) [India], July 1 : Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, in a high-level meeting on Saturday, made an in-depth review of the power generation, transmission, and distribution system in the state and said that there is a need for comprehensive reforms in the energy sector.
The Chief Minister also gave necessary guidelines to fulfill the resolve to ensure a smooth power supply.
"In the last six years, under the guidance of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, every village, town, and district of Uttar Pradesh has been illuminated with electricity. There is an uninterrupted power supply. We are determined for 24x7 uninterrupted power supply in the entire state. To achieve self-sufficiency in the power sector, there is a need for comprehensive reforms in the energy sector", CM Yogi said.
The CM said that the Electricity department should ensure that not even a single consumer gets wrong bill and also gets the bill on time.
"Today, the biggest challenge before the Electricity Department/Power Corporation is to provide correct bills on time and to collect the bill amount from all the consumers. In every case, it should be ensured that not even a single consumer gets the wrong electricity bill and everyone gets the bill on time. Overbilling or late bills not only disturbs the consumer but also affects the system as the consumer loses the desire to deposit the bill. Therefore, make sure that the correct bill is given on time. For this, all Discoms will have to make a concerted effort", the chief minister added.
He further emphasized that it is the responsibility of every consumer who consumes electricity to pay the electricity bill on time.
"Bill payment is necessary for the supply of electricity. It is the responsibility of every consumer who consumes electricity to pay the electricity bill on time. Energy Departments/Electricity Corporations will have to make concerted efforts for the timely collection of bills. Constantly contact and communicate with the defaulters", CM Yogi said.
CM Yogi said that problems like transformer burning/wire falling should be resolved without delay.
The chief minister said, "Be it a village or a city, there should be no unnecessary power cuts anywhere. Problems like transformer burning/wire falling should be resolved without delay. Feeder-wise accountability should be fixed. There should be better communication between all Discoms."
The CM also said that strict legal action should be taken against those who steal electricity.
"Strict legal action should be taken against those who steal electricity. But the consumer should not be harassed in the name of investigation. If such a complaint is received, action should be taken against the concerned officer/personnel. Every necessary step should be taken to keep the line loss to a minimum. A one-time settlement scheme should be implemented for the defaulters", he added.
The CM added that speed is expected in the process of installing smart meters in the cities. "Those houses which still do not have electricity connection should be given connection. Make fool-proof arrangements with the help of technology so that electricity meters are not tampered with at all", he said.