The Hindu Business Line : KSEB crosses 100-day action plan targets

The targets included giving new connections to 1.5 lakh households, free connections to 15,000 people below the poverty line and installation of 500 new transformers.

According to the Electricity Minister, Mr Aryadan Mohammed, KSEB was able to provide new connections to 1.62 lakh households, free connections to 30,812 people below the poverty line and install 716 new transformers.

Mr Mohammed said here on Monday that the board had set in motion the Accelerated Power Development and Reforms Programme (APDRP) aimed at improving the voltage situation in 26 municipalities in the State.

The programme, being implemented at an outlay of Rs 124 crore, was launched on November 26 by the Union Minister for Power, Mr P.M. Sayeed.

In Thiruvananthapuram, the board has drawn up a project to ensure supply of quality power at a cost of Rs 163 crore. A similar project, at an outlay of Rs 200 crore, is in the pipeline for Kochi city also.

These apart, the board is implementing a Rs 114-crore project for power development in hilly areas and another Rs 69-crore project for scheduled caste and scheduled tribe colonies in the State.

The Minister said that a notable achievement during the period was the commissioning of the first phase of the Kuttiadi Augmentation project that had been held up for more than two decades. The project is designed for power generation as well as irrigation purposes.

The work on the project is now going on a war-footing and it is expected to be fully completed by May next year. The project, which has so far cost Rs 177 crore, will generate 223 million units.

Mr Mohammed informed that measures had been initiated to float tenders for Pallivasal Extension and Chengulam Augmentation projects. The Pallivasal project will have an installed capacity of 60 M.W., while the Chengulam project will generate an additional 60 million units.