Bhubaneswar: Attending the 65th meeting of the Forum of Regulators organised by the OERC, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik said that the state would provide electricity connection to all households by December.
“Odisha is a power surplus state. I am glad to state that we have achieved 100 per cent village electrification and shall provide electricity connection to all households by December 2018,” said the Chief Minister.
He said that Odisha pioneered the Power Sector Reforms in India. It was the first state to unbundle the State Electricity Board and constitute the first Electricity Regulatory Commission in the country, he added.
He also said that the power sector in Odisha has seen accelerated development in the last two decades. The power generation, transmission and distribution systems have been expanded and upgraded in the state to meet the ever increasing demand for stable and uninterrupted power supply to sustain our accelerated economic growth, he added.
Odisha has also taken several steps to make the power system disaster resilient. Electricity is in the concurrent list and the views of the state governments should be given importance, said Naveen. He also said some of the proposed amendments in the Electricity Act 2003 are not in conformity with the federal structure of our country.
“I am sure such issues would be discussed in detail in this meeting and the Forum will bring out valuable recommendations in Greater public interest,” said the Chief Minister. He also said that this meeting of the Forum of Regulators is being held at a very opportune moment coinciding with the Make in Odisha Conclave 2018. The positive investment climate in Odisha provides immense opportunity for all the sectors of the industry including the power sector, added Naveen.
“Please do take out time to pay a visit to the Make in Odisha Conclave and witness the socio economic growth taking place in Odisha,” Naveen requested.
PNN