R.K. Singh, the Union Minister of Power and New & Renewable Energy and Skill Development & Entrepreneurship (IC), highlighted the need of Atma Nirbhar Bharat Abhiyan, envisaged by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in Power Sector while addressing the Power Ministers of State Governments and UTs through video conference.
He said that our country’s import bill for power equipments was around Rs.71,000 crore in the year 2018-19 even when we have manufacturing facility & ability for various requirements of the Power Sector, which includes import of over Rs. 20,000 crore from China. He said that Power Sector being strategic and essential in nature is vulnerable for cyber-attacks.
He added, imported equipments will be subjected testing to check influx of malwares like Trojan etc. He also stressed that it should be our sincere endeavour to promote manufacturing of power infrastructure equipments within the country.
Singh stated that a lot has been achieved in the power sector which includes a capacity addition of nearly 15000 MW per year since 2014, connecting of the entire nation through one grid spanning far off areas like Leh and Ladakh with grid. India,s Grid system is one of the best in the world which was demonstrated during light out event on 5 April, 2020 when our grid handled steepest fall and climb in demand within a very short time.
Now the major challenge in Power sector, he said is to make the distribution companies viable and make our country self reliant in manufacturing of equipments related to power sector. As such, liquidity infusion upto Rs. 90,000 crore for DISCOMs was being given under a Package announced by the Govt of India recently for losses upto 31st March, 2020.
He informed that against this demand of about Rs 93000 crore has been received from States/UTs and an amount of Rs 20000 crore have been approved as of now while the remaining demands are being processed expeditiously.