Secretary, Ministry of Power, Government of India, Alok Kumar chaired a meeting to review the status of the power sector in UT Ladakh on June 25.

Secretary, Power Development Department (PDD), UT Ladakh, Ravinder Kumar; Deputy Commissioner, Leh, Shrikant Balasaheb Suse; Chief Engineer, PDD Ladakh; Group General Manager, NHPC Ladakh; Superintending Engineer, PDD Ladakh; Senior General Manager, PGCIL and representatives from RECPDCL, SECI and NTPC attended the meeting.

Secretary, PDD, UT Ladakh, Ravinder Kumar briefed Secretary MoP, Alok Kumar about the existing scenario of the power sector in Ladakh and the financial and physical progress of various projects taken under different schemes of the central government, such as PMDP and DDUGJY. He was briefed on the issues and challenges faced in the execution of the projects and also informed about the interventions required from the ministerial level for the commencement of projects without further hindrances and delays. A brief presentation was also made regarding the same.

He was also briefed about the major upcoming renewable energy projects of PDD Ladakh in collaboration with different agencies, such as ONGC, SECI, and NTPC focusing on Geothermal, Hydrogen Plants, and Solar power respectively.

Secretary Alok Kumar shared that a master plan shall be developed by the Ministry for the holistic development of the transmission and distribution sectors of the UT and directed the UT officials to prepare a draft master plan and submit it to the Ministry within one month.

Reviewing the ongoing centrally sponsored schemes of PMDP Rural and Urban, Secretary Alok Kumar directed the concerned project implementing agencies (PIA) of RECPDCL and PGCIL to complete all the scheme-related works by November 15 keeping in mind the scheduled completion period and the working season of Ladakh.

Regarding the 220 KV Nubra Zanskar Transmission Line, Alok Kumar assured to extend necessary support in getting the clearances for the project and also directed concerned agencies to follow the trail and get the necessary clearances. Further, he directed the officials of RECPDCL to put the project on war footing so as to complete it by October 2023.

Secretary Alok impressed upon the concerned officials to prioritize the effectiveness of the projects at the ground level along with long-term goals.

He also reviewed the status and DPR of the Revamped Distribution Sector Scheme (RDSS) and directed the UT Administration to propose a 66KV Transmission project specified for the Changthang region under RDSS along with other major/minor infrastructural requirements needed for the long-term strengthening of the Ladakhs’ power scenario.