Chandigarh: Union minister for power, housing and urban affairs Manohar Lal Khattar said on Friday that Haryana’s power policy is being appreciated nationwide. “Dedicated efforts by the state govt to reduce line losses have yielded positive results, with line losses in Haryana dropping from 34% in 2014 to 10% today. Haryana’s power discoms now rank A+,” said Khattar. Khattar shared this while interacting with mediapersons after chairing a key meeting with the officers of power and urban local bodies departments at Haryana Civil Secretariat, Chandigarh. Haryana urban local bodies minister Vipul Goel was also present on the occasion. Discussions were held regarding the ongoing projects and new schemes of both the departments, Khattar said.
“In the meeting, detailed discussions were held to address present and future power requirements and strengthening transmission lines through initiatives like RRDS. There was also a suggestion to consider public listing for Haryana Power Discoms, which could serve as a model for other states,” Khattar added. He said that the central government grants funds for the prepaid meter scheme, which will initially be implemented in govt offices and then gradually expanded based on its success. “Discussions on solar energy have also been held during the meeting. The state will look to advance rooftop solar policies. Each state has unique circumstances—hydel projects are suitable for Himachal, while Haryana and Punjab are more reliant on thermal plants,” he said.