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Plan to make power feeders profitable

Our Bureau

NEW DELHI, Sept. 26

THE Power Ministry will approach the Cabinet for a plan to enable all district-level power feeders to become profitable in the next three years, according to Union Power Minister, Mr Suresh Prabhu.

Speaking at a conference on the power sector, organised by Assocham here on Wednesday, Mr Prabhu said the Centre is currently implementing a plan to make 60 districts around the country commercially viable. This involves upgradation of the distribution s ystem in the district involving measures ranging from energy audit to installation of meters.

Mr Prabhu pointed out that public money will need to be spent in this exercise since private money will not enter the system at this stage of financial decay. He said tariff revisions should not precede system upgradation of the distribution area.

According to the Minister, the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India's (ICAI) services have been sought in producing credible balance sheets for State electricity boards where books have not been kept on a regular basis.

Pic.: The Power Minister, Mr Suresh Prabhu (right), having a word with Mr L.M. Thaper, Chairman of Ballarpur Industries Ltd, at the Fourth India Power Forum organised by Assocham in New Delhi on Wednesday.

Picture by Ramesh Sharma