Jammu & Kashmir

200 units of free electricity for households with meters installed, says CM Omar

A lineman installing smart meter in Srinagar. [FPK Photo/Umar Farooq.]

Srinagar: Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah announced on Thursday that the state government will provide 200 units of free electricity to consumers only if meters are installed. The scheme is expected to roll out by March or April this year.

Highlighting the challenges, CM Abdullah said that electricity consumption in the state significantly exceeds supply, with Aggregate Technical and Commercial (AT&C) losses at a staggering 50%. He noted that other states have successfully reduced their losses to below 10% and emphasised the need to bring JK’s losses under 20%.

“The installation of meters is essential to measure usage. Once operational, this scheme will benefit everyone. However, our power supply can only improve after the completion of under-construction power projects, enabling us to store energy in summer for winter use,” the CM added during a press conference.

Addressing the issue of statehood, Abdullah reiterated the government of India’s promise to restore Jammu and Kashmir’s status as a state. He pointed out that even the Supreme Court had urged the restoration “as soon as possible” over a year ago.

“We’ve been in power for over two months and have worked to understand the dynamics of governance in a Union Territory. This phase should be temporary, and we stand by our election promises. The large voter turnout in the assembly polls reflects people’s faith, and they deserve the return of statehood,” Abdullah said.

The assembly elections in JK, held in September 2024, marked the first such exercise since the abrogation of Article 370 in 2019.

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