Budgam, Nov 23: Socio-political leader Zaffer Mir (Lasjan) on Thursday appealed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah to intervene to resolve the acute power crisis in Jammu and Kashmir, particularly in the Kashmir division.
Addressing a political workers’ gathering during his tour to various areas of district Budgam, Mir highlighted the urgent need for special funding as a grant to the Union Territory for the next five years to alleviate the ongoing power shortage.
Zaffer, speaking fervently at the events, emphasized the necessity for immediate interim grant revolving funding from the Central Government to bridge the shortfall of 500 to 700 Megawatts of electricity, crucial especially during the harsh winter months.
“The vital role of adequate power supply in saving lives, especially in relation to essential services like hospitals, control rooms, fire and emergency services, paramilitary operations and handling medical emergencies remains paramount besides maintaining a steady electricity supply to the general masses,” he said.
Acknowledging the efforts made in rural areas through PRI Schemes to enhance basic distribution infrastructure, Zaffer Mir underscored the need for sustained grant-revolving funding while describing it as indispensable to meet the persisting power deficit.
“While the reduced power generation is a direct outcome of the dry spell in the months of August & September, the UT administration should have taken preemptive measures to counter its implications that are visible today, causing huge inconvenience to the citizens,” he added.
Zaffer Mir proposed that an allocation of grants on a revolving basis would enable the procurement of essential power from the National Power Exchange that would redress the prevailing electricity crisis.
“This provision of a crucial revolving grant fund for the next five years by the Hon’ble Prime Minister and Hon’ble Home Minister would significantly improve regional power supply as it remains the most viable solution to tackle the existing power shortage,” he stated.
Moreover, Zaffer Mir expressed confidence that alongside addressing the power crisis, corrective measures taken by the UT administration for the power distribution system (PDS) and efforts to minimize transmission loss would contribute positively to the region’s economic growth.
