The Hindu : Kerala News : Minister rules out KSEB privatisation

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Nov 03, 2004

Kerala

Kerala

Minister rules out KSEB privatisation

By Our Special Correspondent

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM, NOV. 2. The Electricity Minister, Aryadan Mohammed, on Tuesday ruled out privatisation of the Kerala State Electricity Board.

Replying to questions at a press conference, the Minister said that unbundling of the Board into companies might not do any good. Even if the Board were to be made a company as per national policy, it would not be privatised.

He declined to say whether the policy envisaged privatisation including handing over of the proposed Ramackalmedu project to the private sector.

He announced that about 4,700 vacancies in the Board including that of 1,650 workers would be filled soon through the Public Service Commission. The number of posts in the Board had earlier been reduced from about 35,000 to 30,000. After that, around 5,000 persons had retired from service.

He said that the annual loss of the Board, which stood at Rs.1,000 crores, was coming down. The Board was not drawing power from any of the thermal power stations in the State. This situation would continue until the summer as the hydel reservoirs had sufficient water.

More connections

It was also planning to provide 5 lakh more connections next year, clearing the backlog.Besides, the Kuttiayadi augmentation scheme and the Malankara hydel scheme would be commissioned shortly. The Board was implementing a scheme to improve the high-tension low-tension ratio of its supply lines so as to reduce transmission losses.

He said the Board would implement seven schemes for improvement of power supply with assistance from the Centre. These include schemes for the Thiruvananthapuram and Kochi cities (Rs.363 crores) and 26 municipalities (Accelerated Power Development and Reform Programme with 25 per cent Central subsidy).

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