VISAKHAPATNAM: Prime Minister Narendra Modi interacted with beneficiaries of various schemes virtually on Saturday, on the culmination of the ‘Ujjwal Bharat Ujjwal Bhavishya-Power @2047’ programme. Speaking at a programme organised by APEPDCL here, Kagu Kranti Kumar of Ratnagiri Colony at Chintapalle in Alluri Sitarama Raju district, a beneficiary of Deendayal Upadhyaya Gram Jyoti Yojna, told the Prime Minister that electrification changed the lifestyle in his village since December 2015.
“We faced severe hardship when there was no electricity. We were depending on kerosene lamps till then and could not do any work during the night. Now, we are able to know what is happening around the world, by watching TV and mobile. There has been an increase in agriculture production too,” he said.
“Our children are able to study during the night and piped drinking water facility at the doorstep has become a reality,” Kranti Kumar said.
The Prime Minister said that the country will progress only when every citizen progresses and expressed satisfaction that electricity is reaching all villages of the country. Special Chief Secretary (energy) K Vijayanand said another addition to the existing power generation capacity of 18,800 MW, a 1,600 MW generation capacity will be set up by 2022-23. Also, all steps have been taken to arrange hydro power generation at Polavaram and Sileru.
Under the leadership of Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy, many new innovative schemes were introduced by the state government with the support of the Centre for supplying 24x7 hours of power to consumers. Steps were taken to start hydro power generation at Polavaram and Sileru. Electricity lines were laid in Jagananna Housing colonies at a cost of Rs 212 crore. In these colonies, works are underway to electrify 14.81 lakh houses in 10,067 layouts at a cost of Rs 3,483 crore. Besides, renewable energy is promoted on a large scale, Vijayanand said.
MP GVL Narasimha Rao said 18,000 villages got power supply under the Ujjwal Bharat Ujjwal Bavishya Power. The APEPLDCL was in the forefront of supplying quality power and service, he said.
Mayor Golagani Hari Venkata Kumari sought co-operation from the electricity department as Visakhapatnam is being evolved as the executive capital. Joint secretary of Union Ministry of Power Piyush Singh said Andhra Pradesh has become a model for the country in power generation.
Congratulating the AP government, he said the Centre will extend full cooperation to the State. AP is also top in using artificial intelligence and machine learning, CMD of APTRANSCO B Sridhar said. AP is the first State in the country to launch an energy forecasting model, he added.
The APEPDCL is committed to provide 24 hours of uninterrupted quality power with global standards to customers, CMD of APEPDCL K Santhosha Rao said. He said APEPDCL was implementing new innovative methods in supplying quality power without interruptions and reducing transmission losses by 6.60 per cent in 2021-22.
APEPDCL has improved its services by implementing a Centralised Call Centre, Automated Chatbot, “Easternpower” Mobile App, WhatsApp and through village secretariats. APEPDCL took immediate relief works in five districts of Godavari flood-affected areas, he explained.
1.87 L houses got power
Under Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Gramin Jyothi Yojana (DDUGJY), 478 habitations and 1.87 lakh houses were electrified and 100 percent household electrification was achieved. Solar power has been provided to 407 remote areas and hilly tribal habitats